more
self-command. I saw it was now necessary to quit that vicinity, and to
take some definite steps for the preservation of my own ship and property.
There was little to apprehend, however, from the frigates, unless indeed
it should fall calm. In the latter case, they might board us with their
boats, which an hour or two's work would probably enable them to use
again. But I had no intention of remaining in their neighbourhood, being
desirous of profiting by the present wind.

The sails were trimmed accordingly, and the ship was steered
northwesterly, on a course that took us past the three vessels of war,
giving them so wide a berth as to avoid all danger from their batteries.
As soon as this was done, and the Dawn was travelling her road at a good
rate, I beckoned to Marble to come near the wheel, for I had taken the
helmsman's duty on myself for an hour or two: in other words, I was doing
that which, from my boyish experience on the Hudson, I had once fancied it
was not only the duty, but the _pleasure_, of every ship-master to do,
viz: steering! Little did I understand, before practice taught me the
lesson, that of all the work on board ship, which Jack is required to do,
his trick at the wheel is that which he least covets, unless indeed it may
be the office of stowing the jib in heavy weather.

"Well, Moses," I began, "this affair is over, and we've the Atlantic
before us again, with all the ports of Europe to select from, and a
captain, one mate, the cook, and one man to carry the ship where we please
to take her."

"Ay, ay--'t has been a bad job, this last. I was as sure of them lads,
until the lieutenant fired his musket, as ever I was of a good land-fall
with a fair wind. I can't describe to you, Miles, the natur' of the
disapp'intment I felt, when I saw 'em give up. I can best compare it to
that which came over me, when I discovered I was nothing but a bloody
hermit, after all my generalizing about being a governor and a lord high
admiral of an island, all to myself, as it might be."

"It can't be helped, and we must take things as we find them. The question
is, what is to be done with the ship? Should we venture into the channel,
yonder chaps will be after us with the news of a Yankee, on board of whom
they put a prize-crew, being adrift without the men; and there are fifty
cruisers ready to pick us up. The news will spread all over the channel in
a week, and our chances of getting through the Straits of