s the rocky wilds of which he was seen to
wend his way. About noon he again returned to the Mermaid. This conduct
partially disarmed the suspicion which had been excited; however it was
agreed that though nothing had hitherto occurred which could authorize
any direct interference with his movements, yet that a watch should be
kept over them for the present.

The afternoon threatened to turn out stormy. Vast masses of clouds were
continually driven across the sky: and the increasing agitation and deep
furrows of the ocean foretold a night fraught with peril and disaster
to the seaman. Drear December seemed about to assume his wildest garb.
This day of the week always brought the county paper. A solitary copy
of this journal was taken by Mrs. Teague, and it formed the sole channel
(alas! for the march of intellect,) by which the smoking club and other
worthies of Lanport were enlightened on the sayings and doings of the
great world. It must not be inferred from this that the demon of
politics was unknown in this retired spot; on the contrary, the arrival
of the ---- Journal, was looked for with the utmost impatience from week
to week; and as long as its tattered folio hung together, its contents
formed a never ending subject of conversation. On the day of its
arrival, therefore, the "club" invariably met many hours before their
wonted time, to discuss politics and pigtail, revolutions and small
beer.

This circumstance, and the state of the weather, had drawn a numerous
party around the hearth at the Mermaid. The delay which took place
in the arrival of the newspaper seemed unusual; the "spokesman" had
cleared his throat, the pipes had long been lit, but still it was not
forthcoming. Mrs. Teague at last announced that it was engaged by the
"jintleman in the parlour." The patience of the party lasted half an
hour longer, when the clamorous calls for news dictated the step of
sending a message to the stranger. It met with an ungracious reception.
At this moment some one came in with the intelligence that a suspicious
looking craft was hovering off the coast, and that the lieutenant (whose
absence was thus accounted for) was about to put off in his galley to
bring her to and overhaul her.

A second and a third message to the parlour having met with the same
success as the first, the ire of all began to rise, and after a
clamorous discussion it was at last resolved, (it was now broad
daylight,) that they should go in a bod