Jack Tier | Page 8

between his deportment to-day and on
any ordinary occasion, perhaps, was in the circumstance that he now
seemed anxious to get clear of the wharf, and that in a way which might
have attracted notice in any suspicious and attentive observer. It is
possible that such a one was not very distant, and that Spike was aware
of his presence, for a respectable-looking, well-dressed, middle-aged
man had come down one of the adjacent streets, to a spot within a
hundred yards of the wharf, and stood silently watching the movements
of the brig, as he leaned against a fence. The want of houses in that
quarter enabled any person to see this stranger from the deck of the
Swash, but no one on board her seemed to regard him at all, unless it
might be the master.
"Come, bear a hand, my hearty, and toss that bow-fast clear," cried the
captain, whose impatience to be off seemed to increase as the time to
do so approached nearer and nearer. "Off with it, at once, and let her
go."
The man on the wharf threw the turns of the hawser clear of the post,
and the Swash was released forward. A smaller line, for a spring, had
been run some distance along the wharves, ahead of the vessel, and
brought in aft. Her people clapped on this, and gave way to their craft,
which, being comparatively light, was easily moved, and was very
manageable. As this was done, the distant spectator who had been
leaning on the fence moved toward the wharf with a step a little quicker
than common. Almost at the same instant, a short, stout, sailor-like
looking little person, waddled down the nearest street, seeming to be in
somewhat of a hurry, and presently he joined the other stranger, and
appeared to enter into conversation with him; pointing toward the
Swash as he did so. All this time, both continued to advance toward the
wharf.

In the meanwhile, Spike and his people were not idle. The tide did not
run very strong near the wharves and in the sort of a bight in which the
vessel had lain; but, such as it was, it soon took the brig on her inner
bow, and began to cast her head off shore. The people at the spring
pulled away with all their force, and got sufficient motion on their
vessel to overcome the tide, and to give the rudder an influence. The
latter was put hard a-starboard, and helped to cast the brig's head to the
southward.
Down to this moment, the only sail that was loose on board the Swash
was the fore-topsail, as mentioned. This still hung in the gear, but a
hand had been sent aloft to overhaul the buntlines and clewlines, and
men were also at the sheets. In a minute the sail was ready for hoisting.
The Swash carried a wapper of a fore-and-aft mainsail, and, what is
more, it was fitted with a standing gaff, for appearance in port. At sea,
Spike knew better than to trust to this arrangement; but in fine weather,
and close in with the land, he found it convenient to have this sail haul
out and brail like a ship's spanker. As the gaff was now aloft, it was
only necessary to let go the brails to loosen this broad sheet of canvas,
and to clap on the out-hauler, to set it. This was probably the reason
why the brig was so unceremoniously cast into the stream, without
showing more of her cloth. The jib and flying-jibs, however, did at that
moment drop beneath their booms, ready for hoisting.
Such was the state of things as the two strangers came first upon the
wharf. Spike was on the taffrail, overhauling the main-sheet, and
Mulford was near him, casting the foretopsail braces from the pins,
preparatory to clapping on the halyards.
"I say, Mr. Mulford," asked the captain, "did you ever see either of
them chaps afore? These jokers on the wharf, I mean."
"Not to my recollection, sir," answered the mate, looking over the
taffrail to examine the parties. "The little one is a burster! The
funniest-looking little fat old fellow I've seen in many a day."
"Ay, ay, them fat little bursters, as you call 'em, are sometimes full of
the devil. I do n't like either of the chaps, and am right glad we are well
cast, before they got here."
"I do not think either would be likely to do us much harm, Capt.
Spike."
"There's no knowing sir. The biggest fellow looks as if he might lug out

a silver oar at any moment."
"I believe the silver oar is no longer used, in this country at least,"
answered Mulford, smiling. "And if it were, what have