ehension of the fugitive--the seaman's deposition taken in due form,
and all the forms of law gone through with as if it had indeed been a
court of justice. The seaman treated the affair lightly, laughed and
joked with the farmers, and the crowd began to disperse, when a burst of
musical laughter, bitter mocking in its tones, was heard in the
apartment. It came from no one there. All stood aghast. Many a
stout-hearted countryman who would have faced a cannon without
shrinking, trembled and turned pale. The women shrieked; the nobleman
started up.

'Let no one quit the apartment,' said he. 'Search the walls--there must
be some secret panel there.' It was done, but not a trace, not a knob
was visible; all sounded hard and solid.

'You have a shipmate with you, my lord,' said the mariner, 'whose name
is not upon the ship's books. I have heard of such things at sea.'

'And what might your wisdom suppose them to be?' said the Earl, with a
sneer.

'It is hard for man to tell,' said the seaman, who had not been the
slightest discomposed by the voice. 'He who made the ocean and the dry
land alone knows; but a conscience void of offence is the sheet anchor
for man to rely upon in the voyage of life. I never knew such a thing to
happen save to a wicked man.'

'Ha,' said the Earl sarcastically, 'a moralizing tar-bucket. Truly, this
age is prolific in wonders. The march of intellect is abroad with a
vengeance. But since these good people have been disappointed of their
expected morning's amusement, perhaps you will favor them and myself
with this yarn, I think they call it; and Lambert, order some ale to be
served round, and let them bring a cup of brandy for our maritime friend
here; he must wet his whistle, I suppose, or he will never be able to
spin a yarn in true, orthodox, sailor fashion. Sit down, friend, and
begin.'

'I drink when I am dry, my lord,' said the seaman, 'and I prefer
standing to casting anchor here.'

'Have it your own way, then, but proceed, we are all attention.'

'I had shipped as mate on board a vessel bound from Valparaiso to
Virginia, some years ago, when, getting short of provisions, we put into
Lima, on the coast of Peru. Here we took on as passenger, an English
gentleman in bad health, who was said to be enormously rich, but who
bore a very bad character, people said he had murdered his brother's
child, or had him put out of the way, to obtain his inheritance, but he
was a rich man and justic