re must
be land at some forty leagues to the north-west. Water and food are
plenty, and twelve, stout hands can soon pull a boat to the continent of
America; that is, always provided, America is left where it was seen no
later than at the sun-set of yesterday."

"You then propose to abandon the vessel?"

"I do. The interest of the owners is dear to all good seamen, but life is
sweeter than gold."

"The will of heaven be done! But surely you meditate no violence against
this gentleman, who, I am quite certain, has governed the vessel, in very
critical circumstances, with a discretion far beyond his years!"

Nighthead muttered his intentions, whatever they might be, to himself; and
then he walked apart, apparently to confer with the men, who already
seemed but too well disposed to second any of his views, however mistaken
or lawless. During the few moments of suspense that succeeded, Wilder
stood silent and composed, a smile of something like scorn struggling
about his lip, and maintaining the air rather of one who had power to
decide on the fortunes of others, than of a man whose own fate was most
probably at that very moment in discussion. When the dull minds of the
seamen had arrived at their conclusion, the mate advanced to proclaim the
result. Indeed, words were unnecessary, in order to make known a very
material part of their decision; for a party of the men proceeded
instantly to lower the stern-boat into the water, while others set about
supplying it with the necessary means of subsistence.

"There is room for all the Christians in the ship to stow themselves in
this pinnace," resumed Nighthead; "and as for those that place their
dependance on any particular persons, why, let them call for aid where
they have been used to receive it."

"From all which I am to infer that it is your intention," said Wilder,
calmly, "to abandon the wreck and your duty?"

The half-awed but still resentful mate returned a look in which fear and
triumph struggled for the mastery, as he answered,--

"You, who know how to sail a ship without a crew, can never want a boat!
Besides, you shall never say to your friends, whoever they may be, that we
leave you without the means of reaching the land, if you are indeed a
land-bird at all. There is the launch."

"There is the launch! but well do you know, that, without masts, all your
united strengths could not lift it from the deck; else would it not be
left."

"They that took the ma