ng before the yawl returned from the little schooner, laden
with chests, bags, and bundles, and having on board the captain, four
seamen, and the cook. The luggage was tumbled out of the boat in short
order; my chest was deposited in the stern seats. I shook hands with my
old shipmates, took an affectionate leave of Captain Thompson, who had
always treated me with the kindness of a father, and entered the boat.
Captain Moncrieff took one oar, I took another, and in a few minutes
I stood on the deck of the Young Pilot. A tackle was hooked on to the
yawl, which was, which was hoisted in and snugly stowed on deck; the
helm was put up, the fore-sheet hauled to leeward, and, before I had
time to realize this change in my situation, I found myself in a strange
vessel, with strange companions, bound on a strange voyage to the
Spanish Main.

Chapter XXI. ON BOARD THE YOUNG PILOT

After the vessels had separated and were rapidly increasing the space
between them, I looked back upon the schooner Mary and recalled the many
pleasant hours I had passed in that vessel, and asked myself if it
would not have been better to have remained on board, trusting to the
friendship of Captain Thompson and the promises of Mr. Jarvis. When I
looked around, and fully comprehended the situation in which I had
so unthinkingly placed myself, I saw little to give me consolation or
encouragement. Captain Moncrieff was not prepossessing in his person or
deportment. He was a tall, large-limbed Scotchman, about forty years of
age, with light blue eyes and coarse, bloated features. He was abrupt
in his language, had an exalted opinion of his merits and capacity, was
always the hero of his own story; and, although he subsequently proved
to be a man of generous feelings, to my unpractised optics he looked
more like a bully than a gentleman.

Mr. Campbell, the mate, was also a Scotchman; but his appearance
and character differed essentially from those of the captain. He was
slightly built, with thin, pale features. There was nothing genial in
his looks; and a certain vulpine cast of countenance, a low forehead,
and a brow deeply wrinkled but not with age conveyed the idea of a
selfish, narrow-minded individual.

With the exception of myself, there was no other person on board the
pilot-boat. On acceding to the proposition of Captain Moncrieff, it
escaped my notice that the cook was to leave the schooner with the rest
of the crew. It now flashed acro