"I am short of hands, and am desirous of obtaining three or four good men," I said, "who shall be well paid for their services, and sent back, without cost, to the place whence they came."
"Ay, I see you've a small crew for so stout a craft, master," the pilot answered. "May I ask what has happened to bring you down so low?"
"Why, you know how it is among your cruisers, in war-time--an English frigate carried away all hands, with the exception of these you see."
Now, this was true to the ear, at least, though I saw, plainly enough, that I was not believed.
"It's not often His Majesty's officers shave so close," the pilot answered, with a sort of sneer I did not like. "They commonly send in hands with a ship, when they find it necessary to take her own men."
"Ay, I suppose the laws require this with English vessels; with Americans, they are less particular; at all events, you see the whole of us, and I should be very glad to get a hand or two, if possible, out of your cutter."
"Where are you bound, master?--Before we ship, we'd like to know the port we sail for."
"Hamburg."
"Hamburg! Why, master, you're not heading for Hamburg, at all, which lies up the English, not up the Irish channel."
"I am well aware of all that. But I am afraid to go into the English channel so short-handed. Those narrow waters give a man trouble, unless he has a full crew."