vessel in sight is the ship
of the renowned Red Rover--nay listen, I conjure you by all that kindness
you have so long shewn me, and then censure as you will."

The words of Wilder, aided as they were by an earnest and manly manner,
laid a restraint on the mounting indignation of the choleric old seaman.
He listened gravely and intently to the rapid but clear tale which his
lieutenant hastened to recount; and, ere the latter had done, he had more
than half entered into those grateful, and certainly generous, feelings
which had made the youth so reluctant to betray the obnoxious character of
a man who had dealt so liberally by himself. A few strong, and what might
be termed professional, exclamations of surprise and admiration,
occasionally interrupted the narrative; but, on the whole, he curbed his
impatience and his feelings, in a manner that was sufficiently remarkable,
when the temperament of the individual is duly considered.

"This is wonderful indeed!" he exclaimed, as the other ended; "and a
thousand pities is it that so honest a fellow should be so arrant a knave.
But, Harry, we can never let him go at large after all, our loyalty and
our religion forbid it. We must tack ship, and stand after him; if fair
words won't bring him to reason, I see no other remedy than blows."

"I fear it is no more than our duty, sir," returned the young man, with a
deep sigh.

"It is a matter of religion.--And then the prating puppy, that he sent on
board me, is no Captain, after all! Still it was impossible to deceive me
as to the air and manner of a gentleman. I warrant me, some young
reprobate of a good family, or he would never have acted the sprig so
well. We must try to keep his name a secret, Mr Ark, in order that no
discredit should fall upon his friends. Our aristocratic columns, though
they get a little cracked and defaced, are, after all, the pillars of the
throne, and it does not become us to let vulgar eyes look too closely into
their unsoundness."

"The individual who visited the 'Dart' was the Rover himself."

"Ha! the Red Rover in my ship, nay, in my very presence!" exclaimed the
old tar, in a species of honest horror. "You are now pleased, sir, to
trifle with my good nature."

"I should forget a thousand obligations, ere I could be so bold. On my
solemn asseveration, sir, it was no other."

"This is unaccountable! extraordinary to a miracle! His disguise was very
complete, I will confess to deceive one so w