slavers, what are they? A question which the King himself would, in his
royal wisdom, allow to be a question easier asked than answered; upon
which I replied, If the vessel be no fair-trading slaver, nor a common
cruiser of his Majesty, it is as tangible as the best man's reasoning,
that she may be neither more nor less than the ship of that nefarious
pirate the Red Rover."

"The Red Rover!" exclaimed the stranger in green, with a start so natural
as to evidence that his dying interest in the tailor's narrative was
suddenly and powerfully revived. "That indeed would be a secret worth
having!--but why do you suppose the same?"

"For sundry reasons, which I am now about to name, in their respective
order. In the first place, she is an armed ship, sir. In the second, she
is no lawful cruiser, or the same would be publicly known, and by no one
sooner than myself, inasmuch as it is seldom that I do not finger a penny
from the King's ships. In the third place, the burglarious and unfeeling
conduct of the few seamen who have landed from her go to prove it; and,
lastly, what is well proved may be considered as substantially established
These are what, sir, I should call the opening premises of my inferences,
all of which I hope you will properly lay before the royal mind of his
Majesty."

The barrister in green listened to the somewhat wire-drawn deductions of
Homespun with great attention notwithstanding the confused and obscure
manner in which they were delivered by the aspiring tradesman. His keen
eye rolled quickly, and often, from the vessel to the countenance of his
companion; but several moments elapsed before he saw fit to make any
reply. The reckless gayety with which he had introduced himself, and which
he had hitherto maintained in the discourse, was entirely superseded by a