so moulded, stowed, sparred and handled, that their rate of
sailing should be nearly identical. If there was any difference, it was
slightly in favour of the Sea Lion of the Vineyard, which rather drew
ahead of her consort, if consort the other Sea Lion could be termed, in
the course of the afternoon.

It is scarcely necessary to say that many were the speculations that were
made on board these rival vessels--competitors now for the commonest
glories of their pursuits, as well as in the ultimate objects of their
respective voyages. On the part of Roswell Gardiner and his two mates,
they did not fail, in particular, to comment on the singularity of the
circumstance that the Sea Lion, of the Vineyard, should be so far out of
her direct line of sailing.

"Although we have had the wind at sow-west" (_sow_-west always, as
pronounced by every seaman, from the Lord High Admiral of England, when
there happens to be such a functionary, down to the greenest hand on board
the greenest sealer) "for these last few days," said Hazard, "anybody can
see we shall soon have easterly weather. There's an easterly feel in the
air, and all last night the water had an easterly glimmer about it. Now,
why a man who came out of the Vineyard Sound, and who had nothing to do
but just to clear the west end of his own island, and then lay his course
off yonder to the southward and eastward, should bear up cluss (Anglice,
close) under Blok, and stretch out to sea, for all the world as if he was
a Stunnin'tun chap, or a New Lunnoner, that had fallen a little to
leeward, is more than I can understand, Captain Gar'ner! Depend on it,
sir, there's a reason for't. Men don't put schooners into the water,
now-a-days, and give them costly outfits, with three whale-boats, and
sealin' gear in abundance, just for the fun of making fancy traverses, on
or off a coast, like your yacht gentry, who never know what they would be
at, and who never make a v'y'ge worth speaking on."

"I have been turning all this over in my mind, Mr. Hazard," answered the
young master, who was amusing himself at the moment with strapping a small
block, while he threw many a glance at the vessel that was just as close
under his lee as comported with her sailing. "There is a reason for it, as
you say; but, I can find no other than the fact that she has come so much
out of her way, in order to fall in with _us;_ knowing that we were to
come round Montauk at a particular time."

"Well, s