Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/35

 he might cultivate a little farm, and lead the life of an honest man; "for this life," said he, "I am free to confess, is, after all, little better than highway robbery."

Whether the moral essay of the captain was the effect of his present danger, I will not pretend to say. I only know, that if the reader will turn back to some parts of my history, he will find me very often in a similar mood, on similar occasions.

The two captains and the chief mate now retired, after leaving me meditating by myself » over the larboard gunwhale, just before the main rigging. The consultation seemed to be of great moment; and, as I afterwards learned, was to decide what course they should steer, seeing that they evidently lost sight of their pursuer. [I felt all my hopes of release vanish as I looked at them, and had made up my mind to go to New York.

At this moment, a man came behind me, as if to get a pull at the top-gallant sheets; and while