rn sky, from which
direction there came a gentle breeze. The pilot was on board, the
anchor hove up, the tide was making down, sail after sail was set, and
just as there was light sufficient to enable us to see our way, the
brig, under a cloud of white canvas, was standing down the Mersey.

"God bless you all! A prosperous voyage, and a safe and happy return!"
was uttered by the pilot, as, having seen us clear of the sandbanks at
the mouth of the river, he lowered himself into his boat and paddled off
to his cutter, which had accompanied us. We were now left to our own
resources, and before evening we were standing down the Irish Channel
with a brisk breeze on the larboard tack.

CHAPTER THREE.

MY SHIPMATES--TOM TUBBS THE BOATSWAIN--SIGHT A SUSPICIOUS CRAFT--ALTER
OUR COURSE TO AVOID HER--CHASED--A HEAVY SQUALL--A THICK MIST--WE HOPE
TO ESCAPE--THE STRANGER REAPPEARS--NIGHT COMES ON AND WE LOW SIGHT OF
HER--ONCE MORE THE STRANGER IS SEEN IN HOT CHASE--OPENS FIRE--DESPERATE
FIGHT--WE ATTEMPT TO RAKE THE ENEMY--HE FRUSTRATES IT--THE ENEMY HOISTS
THE PIRATE FLAG--BOARDS US--OUR CREW OVERCOME--THE CAPTAIN AND
BOATSWAIN, HARRY AND I, FIGHT DESPERATELY--CAPTAIN TRUNNION APPEARS--
SPARES OUR LIVES--DREADFUL STATE OF THE DECK--TOM, HARRY, AND I TAKEN ON
BOARD THE "VULTURE"--CAPTAIN MAGOR ORDERED TO NAVIGATE THE "ARROW" INTO
THE SHERBRO--THE VESSELS PART COMPANY.

Harry and I soon got our sea-legs, for although when we sailed the
weather was fine, before we were well clear of the Irish Channel it
began to blow fresh, and a heavy sea ran, which tumbled the vessel about
not a little. We both quickly made the acquaintance of the officers and
crew, for we did not consider it beneath our dignity as supercargoes to
talk to our ship mates of lower rank. We were well repaid by the
confidence they bestowed upon us, and the histories of their lives and
adventures which they narrated. Although rough in their ways, they
possessed many of the best qualities in human nature. The mates were,
as I before said, good steady men, fair navigators, who could be trusted
on all occasions, and had been chosen for these qualifications by
Captain Magor, to whom they had long been known. Our chief friend was
Tom Tubbs, the boatswain. Tom would have risen to a higher rank, but he
was destitute of the accomplishments of reading and writing, though
having to some purpose studied the book of nature, he possessed more
useful knowledge than ma