“It was the war taught them; they wanted privateers to prey on our merchantmen and supply ships. They wanted sharp vessels to run into neutral ports, and escape our frigates, and they built them. Since they set up for themselves, they make rigging and duck, roll iron, and forge anchors, and there’s no telling where they will stop.”
“We may catch her yet, if we could get her before the wind, where she could not run into shoal water, or have the good fortune to come across her in a calm.”
“He’ll not come here again; he’s run too great a risk. He will be more likely to try Toulon; perhaps go round into the Bay of Biscay, to some of the ports on the other side.”
The wind, which had blown very fresh all through the afternoon and first part of the night, had moderated to a good working breeze.
As the watch on board the brigantine that brought twelve o’clock came on deck, a large rock was discovered right ahead; the topsail was hove to the mast, and the vessel became stationary. The captain, calling the whole crew aft, said to them, “Boys, I want to put a man on that rock, to watch this frigate and the sixty-four, see which way they stand in the morning, and where they go; also to look into the roadstead, and see what vessels are there, and how they lie; in short, to keep himself concealed, and get all the information he can. To-morrow night I’ll run in, and take him off. Who’ll volunteer?”
Before the words were fairly out of his mouth, or any other could reply, Walter Griffin exclaimed, “I will go, sir.”
Peterson had from Walter’s childhood cherished a great affection for him, and Walter loved the black with all his heart. It was at first a childhood liking (as children care very little about color), which increased as he grew older; and Peterson, by reforming his habits, became deserving of respect.
Peterson was not merely a finished sailor and first-rate calker, but was also exceedingly ingenious in making kites, windmills, boats, sleds, carts, squirts, popguns, sawyers, and all those things that children and boys want; and no one but Uncle Isaac could equal him in the manufacture of bows and arrows.
Peterson lived not far from Walter’s father. Every leisure day Walter was there; everything he wanted Peterson made, and, as he outgrew kites and bows, instructed him in wrestling, making sailor knots, and built him a skiff; when, therefore, he came to be shipmate with him, he felt that the boy was in a manner committed to him, and under his protection, and instantly interfered.
“Massa cap’n, dat boy no fit to go; he too young; s’pose come gale ob wind; vessel driben to sea; no get him off long time; boy be frightened, die, p’rhaps starve. Hab to show hisself; den English man-o’-war take him; nebber see his farder or mudder no more. Boy no ‘sperience to know what to look for; me go, meself.”