hould say. He had been brought up as a farmer, and had never
been afloat till within the last six or seven years. He was now no
contemptible sailor. His next move would probably be to some totally
different sphere, where he would take a step higher in the social scale.
Such is the career of many a New Englander.

I had turned into my berth, after keeping the morning watch some days
after this, when, as I awoke, I saw Tom Rockets moving about in the
cabin.

"What do you want, Tom?" I asked.

"Hist, sir," he whispered, "I've just a word to speak to you."

"Out with it then, my man," I said.

"It's just about that strange skipper, sir."

"Well, go on."

"He's been talking to me, and asking if I wouldn't like to go and settle
in a land of liberty, and make my fortune, and no longer be subject to
be starved and flogged and ill-treated on board of a man-of-war?"

"And what did you say, Tom?" I asked.

"I told him just simply like that I belonged to you, that I would follow
wheresoever you went, and that if you thought fit to go and settle in
his country, I'd have no objection to go too."

"That was right, Tom. If he speaks to you again, give him the same sort
of answer. Don't let him suppose you are offended. Has he spoken with
either of the other men?"

"With all except Grampus; but I don't think he has made much way with
them. The old man, I fancy, sir, guesses what he's after, and has his
eye on him," answered Tom.

"All right, then, my lad. Keep your eyes about you, and let me know any
thing you observe, but don't allow the skipper to find out that we
suspect him."

Tom promised to follow my directions, and I sent him on deck while I
turned out and dressed. I treated Mr Scuttle just as if he were not
plotting against me, for forewarned, I felt myself fore-armed, and had
no fear that he could do me any harm.

That day the wind fell considerably and we again had fair weather. The
next morning, while I was at breakfast, old Nol hailed down the
sky-light--

"Would you just come on deck for a moment, sir?" said he.

"What is it?" I asked.

"There's a sail away to the south-west, and I don't quite like the looks
of her," answered the old man.

I jumped on deck in a moment. I was not long in making out a brig under
all sail holding the same course we were on. As I took the glass from
my eye I found Scuttle standing by my side.

"What do you think of her?" I asked.

"Maybe she's a whaler