"I see the top gallant of a ship."

"I thought I was not mistaken. Can you make out her colors?"

"I will go aloft, captain, and see."

The mate ascended to the foretop cross-tree, and took a long survey of
the stranger. When he descended the captain asked:

"What is she?"

"An English frigate."

"I knew it!" growled the captain. "I felt it in my bones. We shall have
the rascals overhauling us anon. Egad, I wish we had an armed crew and
heavy guns--I would not wait for congress to declare war."

"But captain, while this dead calm lasts, she cannot move more than
ourselves."

"Very true, Mr. Brown, but, egad, she will catch the breeze first, and
come up with it. Thank heaven we have no man aboard our ship born out of
the United States. They cannot impress any for Englishmen."

The mate answered:

"They care little whether we are English or American born; if they are
short of hands, they will take such of our crews as they want."

The captain paced the deck uneasily, occasionally muttering: