“‘Exactly,’ sais I.
“‘Stitch well your part, there all the honour lies.’
“‘Sam, Sam,’ said he, ‘you are a bad boy,’ and he put on a serious face, and went in and got his gown ready for service.
“The ‘Sary Ann’ for the ‘Black Hawk,’” sais I to myself, “well that ain’t bad either; but there are more chests of tea and kegs of brandy, and such like, taken right by the custom-house door at Halifax in loads of hay and straw, than comes by water, just because it is the onlikeliest way in the world any man would do it. But it is only some of the Bay of Fundy boys that are up to that dodge. Smugglers in general haven’t the courage to do that. Dear me!” sais I to myself, “when was there ever a law that couldn’t be evaded; a tax that couldn’t be shuffled off like an old slipper; a prohibition that a smuggler couldn’t row right straight through, or a treaty that hadn’t more holes in it than a dozen supplemental ones could patch up? It’s a high fence that can’t be scaled, and a strong one that can’t be broke down. When there are accomplices in the house, it is easier to get the door unlocked than to force it. Receivers make smugglers. Where there are not informers, penalties are dead letters. The people here like to see us, for it is their interest, and we are safe as long as they are friendly. I don’t want to smuggle, for I scorn such a pettifogin’ business, as Josiah would call it; but I must and will see how the thing works, so as to report it to the President.”
“Well, Eldad,” sais I, “I leave all this to you. I want to avoid a scrape if I can, so put us in a place of safety, and be careful how you proceed.”
“I understand,” said he. “Now, Mr Slick, look yonder,” pointing towards the shore. “What is that?”
“A large ship under full sail,” said I, “but it is curious she has got the wind off shore, and just dead on end to us.”
“Are you sure,” said he, “it is a ship, for if we get foul of her, we shall be sunk in a moment, and every soul on board perish.”
“Is it a cruiser?” sais I; “because if it is, steer boldly for her, and I will go on board of her and show my commission as an officer of our everlastin’ nation. Captain,” said I, “what is that stranger?”
He paused for a moment, shaded his eyes with his hand, and examined her. “A large square-rigged vessel,” he said, “under a heavy press of canvas,” and resumed his walk on the deck.