James Braithwaite, the Supercargo | Page 9

mate, somewhat sharply. "I believe
that God made this water beneath our feet, and that He sends the wind
which sometimes covers it over with sparkling ripples, and at others
stirs it up into foaming seas, but I don't think He lets spirits or ghosts of
any sort wander about doing no good to any one. That's my philosophy.
I don't intend to belief in the stuff till I see one of the gentlemen; and
then I shall look pretty sharply into his character before I take my hat
off to him."
"You are right, Mr Randolph, and I do not suppose that the captain
differs much from you. He only wishes to guard against mortal enemies,
and he has shown that he is in earnest in thinking that there is some
danger, by having come on deck every half-hour or oftener during the
night. There he is again."
Captain Hassall stood before us: "Cast loose and load the guns, Mr
Randolph, and send a quartermaster to serve out the small arms to the
watch," he said quietly; "there has been a sail on our quarter for some
minutes past, which may possibly be one of the convoy, but she may
not. Though she carries but little canvas she is creeping up to us."
The mate and I while talking had not observed the vessel the captain
pointed out. "The skipper has sharp eyes," said the first mate, as he
parted from me to obey the orders he had received. Our crew had been
frequently exercised at the guns. Having loaded and run them out, the
watch came tumbling aft to the arm-chest. Cutlasses were buckled on
and pistols quickly loaded, and boarding-pikes placed along the
bulwarks ready for use. The men did not exactly understand what all
this preparation was for, but that was nothing to them. It signified

fighting, and most British seamen are ready for that at any time. The
captain now joined me in my walk. "It is better to be prepared, though
nothing come of it, than to be taken unawares," he observed. "It is the
principle I have gone on, and as it is a sound one, I intend to continue it
as long as I live." I agreed with him. We walked the deck together for
twenty minutes or more, engaged in conversation. His eye was
constantly during the time looking over our starboard quarter. Even I
could at length distinguish the dim outline of a vessel in that direction.
Gradually the sails of a ship with taut raking masts became visible.
"That craft is not one of our convoy, and I doubt that she comes among
us for any good purpose," exclaimed the captain. "I should like to bring
the frigate down upon the fellow, but we should lose our share of the
work, and I think that we can manage him ourselves. Call the starboard
watch, Mr Stubbs."
The men soon came tumbling up from below, rather astonished at being
so soon called. The other officers were also soon on deck Mr Randolph
agreed that the stranger, which hung on our quarter like some
ill-omened bird of prey, had an exceedingly suspicious appearance, and
that we were only acting with ordinary prudence in being prepared for
him.
"The fellow won't fire, as he would bring the frigate down upon him if
he did," observed the first mate; "he will therefore either run alongside
in the hopes of surprising us, and taking us by boarding before we have
time to fire a pistol, which would attract notice, or, should the wind fall
light, he may hope to cut us out with his boats."
Eight bells struck. We could hear the sound borne faintly over the
waters from two of the Indiamen to windward of us, but no echo came
from the deck of the stranger. The men were ordered to lie down under
the bulwarks till wanted. Had Captain Hassall thought fit, he might, by
making sail, have got out of danger, but he had hopes that instead of
being taken by the stranger he might take him. It struck me that we
might be running an unwarrantable risk of getting the vessel or cargo
injured by allowing ourselves to be attacked.

"Not in the least," answered the captain; "we serve as a bait to the
fellow, and shall benefit directly by catching him. If we were to give
the alarm he would be off like a shot, and depend on it he has a fast pair
of heels, or he would not venture in among us, so that the frigate would
have little chance of catching him."
The truth is, Captain Hassall had made up his mind to do something to
boast of. Orders were now given to the men to remain perfectly