The crew hauled away on the rope. Page 249.
"You've done splendidly," said the gentleman, as soon as he had reached the deck and grasped my hand. "Here you've been gone only fifteen days and have sent in two first-rate prizes, besides the one that is coming by the Sound. It is probably all safe, as there are no British vessels there to trouble it when once it turns the eastern end of Long Island."
Before the day was over I heard that the prize was safe, word to that effect having been brought down by a fishing-boat. The next day she came through the dangerous channel of Hell Gate, and anchored in the East River, where I visited her.
Of course, the crew of the Marguerite wanted to go on shore as soon as they could get away. I called them together and asked how many wanted to re-ship for the next cruise, which would begin just as soon as I could refit and get away. Every man responded; and the owner told me that those who had come in on the two prizes had already been secured. It was arranged that they should be under pay while we remained in port, one-half having liberty on shore, while the rest stayed on-board and helped with the work that was to be done.
As soon as they learned of our arrival, my second and third mates reported for duty, their prizes having been turned over to the owners for condemnation and sale. In the afternoon I went ashore; and after visiting the office and transacting some business there, I hastened to the fashionable boarding-house on Broadway, just below Trinity Church, where I understood the Graham family was staying.
I was most heartily welcomed by them; and when I told my story of what had happened since they left me, Captain Graham said he congratulated me as much as it was possible for a loyal Englishman to congratulate his country's enemy. "Everybody has been very kind to us," he said, "from the officers and crew that had us in charge, to the owners of the Marguerite, to whom we gave your letter on our arrival. I am under parole, and hope to be exchanged before long; but I find New York so agreeable that I shall be sorry to leave it when the time comes to go away."
"I like it very much too," said Mrs. Graham, as her husband paused. "We go out walking every pleasant day, and find the Battery a delightful place to loiter in. I never get tired of looking at the ships and boats in the bay, and I don't wonder that the people who live here are so fond of their city."
I accepted an invitation to remain, or rather to return for tea; and it is needless to say that I had a very pleasant evening. By tacit consent all allusion to the war was omitted, and we chatted upon various topics, in which our recollections of the Washington had a prominent place.
It was rather late in the evening when I returned to the Marguerite and went to bed. While I was at breakfast the next morning a messenger came with the request that I would go to the office of the owners as soon as possible.
"We have a proposal to make to you for a new command," said the senior member of the firm of owners, as soon as I entered the office.