d proudly. Then he seemed to soften, and he continued in a more
subdued tone, "But you, young gentleman, seem inclined to treat me as a
man should a man, and not as some of your officers have treated us
provincials, so I am thankful, and if the day should come when I can
return your kindness I shall be glad to do so."

"I only hope that I may not be in your place as a prisoner," said I.

"To be honest with you," he replied, "if I only had the chance of taking
the sloop from you, I should be right not to let it pass by, though I
have no great hope that it will be offered me."

"No, I should think not," I answered, laughing. I have often since
thought of the foolish, domineering way in which England and Englishmen
treat their brethren who turn colonists, and shall not be surprised if
she loses one colony after another as she was now doing her American
settlements. The skipper was soon pacified, and we became very good
friends. We were still talking away over our glass of grog, when Nol
Grampus put his head in at the cabin-door.

"I don't quite like the look of the weather, Mr Hurry," said he. "I
think it's going to breeze up a bit, and the sooner we shorten sail the
better."

I jumped up and went on deck, when I saw that he was right. We
accordingly at once made all snug. Thick clouds were banking up from
the westward and southward, which soon rushing on like a vast army
sweeping over a devoted country, deluged us with rain, bringing a heavy
breeze, which kicked up no small amount of sea. The wind keeping to the
southward of west we could lay our course, so on we went pitching and
tumbling before it in no very pleasant manner for several days.

Fortunately the Ranger was well found in every respect, and, proving a
very good sea-boat, showed that the men of Nantucket knew what was the
best economy in the end. She was newly painted, and had sixteen ports,
so that at a distance she had a somewhat formidable appearance; but as
they had no guns to them, though she could grin, she could not even
bark, much less bite. If, therefore, we fell in with an enemy I saw
that, should we not be able to escape by flight, we should in all
probability be captured. I had observed that my friend the skipper had
been in better spirits than at first. He spoke frankly to me, as he did
to the crew, and seemed to be on good terms with everybody. He was
evidently a clever man--full of resources of all sorts--above his
station I s