ween that place and this. I walked nearly
every step of the way from Boydtown, and every man I met was the hottest
kind of a rebel, or professed to be. When questioned, as I often was, I
could tell a truthful story about being second mate of a schooner that
had slipped into Newbern with a lot of goods for the Confederacy, and
furthermore, I had the documents to prove it," said Jack, drawing an
official envelope from an inside pocket. "This is a strong letter from
the captain of the _West Wind_, recommending me to any blockade-running
shipmaster who may be in need of a coast pilot and second mate; but I
never expect to use it. Here are some documents of an entirely different
character," and as he said this, the sailor thrust his hand into the leg
of his boot and pulled forth another large envelope. "This contains two
letters, one from the master of the _Sabine_, and the other from her
owners; and they give a flattering history of the part I took in
recapturing the brig. These letters may be of use to me when the time
comes for me to ship on a blockader."

"I don't see how you got out of Boston with your contraband cargo," said
Marcy. "How did you clear at the custom house?"

"Why, bless you, our cargo was all right," replied Jack, "and so were
our papers. The cargo was brought aboard in broad daylight, and
consigned to a well-known American firm in Havana; but the little
articles that were brought aboard after dark and scattered around among
the barrels and boxes in the hold, would have sent the last one of us to
jail if they had been discovered."

"Oh, Jack!" exclaimed Mrs. Gray, "how could you do it? I can't see how
you could bring yourself to take so much risk."

"I did it to keep up appearances; and hasn't Marcy done the same thing
and with your consent? Didn't he join that privateer and run the risk of
being captured or killed by the Yankees because you and he thought it
policy for him to do so? I am not a policy man, but in times like these
one can't always do as he wants to."

There were so many things to talk about, and such a multitude of
questions to be asked and answered on both sides, that the little clock
on the mantel struck four different hours before any one thought of
going to bed; and then Jack did not go to his own room, but passed the
rest of the night with Marcy, for the latter hinted very strongly that
he had some things to say to him that he did not care to mention in his
mother's presence.