THE FLYING DUTCHMAN.

to a demand, said, "I am going on the maindeck, Macpherson,"

The sentry replied by saluting his cap, and then extended his hand to take the lantern from the table. At a sign from his officer, however, he abandoned his intention, and though his looks expressed some surprise, he did not hesitate at following him. In silence they passed into the steerage, creeping in the dark beneath the sleepers who crowded in its space, and arrived at the after hatchway.

Macpherson," said the officer, speaking in the lowest tones, "you once expressed gratitude for some little service I was enabled to show you."

"I did, sir."

"Do you still feel it?"

The soldier bowed his head in the affirmative.
"To what extent do you dare go in proof of it?"
"Any sir."

"Then remain here till I return to you. I am going to see a friend-should any mischance happen to me, and you be brought into a scrape, you had better"

"Bear it, sir; and well I can do so," said the fellow. "I understand what friend ye seek, sir-the only one on earth that the unhappy have. I'm thinking, may be, I would do the same myself. You had better put one or two of these in your pocket," pointing to the twenty-four pound shot-" God bless ye sir-'tis a sair leap at the best -though I'll not be long perhaps or I'll take it too."

The old Scotchman, as he said this, grasped the hand of his countryman and superior, and folding his arms upon his breast, sat down on the hatchway ladder, with the air of one whom no further misfortune could afflict. For a few seconds the lieutenant regarded him, totally at a loss to comprehend his meaning.

"You mistake, my good fellow," whispered he, involuntarily smiling as he did so; a Ramsey destroys his enemy before he lays hand on himself.”

"Ay! then you will despatch the old man!" coolly replied Macpherson, turning his head round.

"Nor do I think of that-my errand is a peaceful one enough-wait here-I will return as quickly as

"No, no, sir; take your time-you need not fash for me-at the worst, it's only giving back the life you saved. Hoping that such a misfortune was not in store for him as to entail death on one so faithful, the lieutenant turned away.

B*

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THE FLYING DUTCHMAN.

CHAPTER II.

Tell not to lovers what young love can dare
Devotion brave, or soft affection bear.

WATCHING his opportunity, as the back of the cabin-door sentry was turned towards him, he stepped up the hatchway ladder, and, gliding noiselessly across the frigate's maindeck with his shoeless feet, crouched down in the shadow of the nearest gun-carriage. Fortune, it is said, favours the brave. It is at least a consolatory if not a stimulating creed, and I, for one, shall always be a devout believer in it. In the lieutenant's case the fact was evident. To him time was indeed as the most precious sands of life, and scarcely had he gained his concealment, when the lapse of another half hour rendered it necessary for the sentinel to go once more into the bows of the frigate to strike three bells. The first one had not yet sounded, when the lieutenant, with all the agility of an expert seaman, slipped through one of the gunports beneath the main-chains, and, passing along the channelplates, laid hold of the spare main-topsail-yard. Trusting the weight of his body to the strength of his sinewy arms, he might now have been seen thus suspended over the calm waters, in whose treacherous bosom innumerable sharks were lurking around for whatever prey they could

secure.

As our hero for a moment glanced beneath him, and beheld the dark fin of one of these ferocious monsters protruding from the surface where the hated creature slowly cruised round the frigate, his muscles seemed involuntarily to relax-the treble rows of serrated teeth to fasten on him, tearing limb from limb-the bubble of the waters, purpled with his own blood, to hiss in his earsthe large and increasing girth of the topsail-yard to grow too unwieldy for his grasp, as he advanced suspended beneath it-and all the difficulties of his rash undertaking to come upon him with exaggerated force. The third bell struck. It sounded like a knell through the ship, and was repeated over the water. The bitter mockery of the cry, All's well," sank with an icy chill upon his heart. The

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN.

11

mizen-chains were yet some feet distant from him, and if not gained by the time the sentry returned to his post, he would be seen, and then the choice was his own-the jaws of the rapacious creature that seemed to watch him from below, or the persecution of those who thirsted for his blood on board.

"It is for her I risk it! muttered the officer to himself. Springing onward with the thought his foot gained the muzzle of one of the protruding guns—the girth of the topsail-yard again lessoned-another second, and his hand grasped the mizen-chains. He was once more in comparitive safety. As he paused, in his present not very secure position, to take breath, he heard the marine come back to the bulkhead of the captain's quarters, shake his hour-glass to see that the sand ran free, and resume his weary beat.-"If you but knew how near your master is his hated prisoner " thought the lieutenant; "but pleasure is the bride of peril, and the marriage has its charms."

As Ramsay said this, he tapped gently on the glass of the half-port, which opened out from the captain's cabin under the mizen chains, where he was now sitting. Twice the signal was repeated, and then our hero, putting his ear to the glass, fancied he could detect the whispering of female voices from within; for, parted off from the larger apartment by a slight bulkhead, was a little berth, just sufficient to hold two cots. To gain a few moments' interview with the tenant of one of which, had the venturous prisoner dared the imminent risks that still impended over him.

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I must take care," said he to himself, "not to alarm them; for should their cries bring Angela's father to the port, all is lost."

Again he listened, and again heard, as he thought, their voices in consultation-"Surely they will come to the port-window now?-No!" A fourth signal was given; again the voices were heard, but no face appeared. "Perhaps they doubt who the applicant may be--but if awake they will know my voice--and so will her father. But it must be risked, Angela!" said he, putting his lips to a crevice in the port-sill, and speaking in so low a tone that, to one not listening to the sound, it might have passed for the melancholy murmur of some sudden flaw of wind.

Still no one came. What should he do?-Every second that flew by, bore, as on the slenderest thread, the lives

12

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN.

of himself and the poor devoted fellow who waited for him on board. Angela!" repeated he, in a louder key.

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The face of a young girl, closely muffled in a shawl, now presented itself inside the port, and, beckoning him to silence with the finger on the lip, quickly disappeared. In a few seconds she returned, and silently unfastened the half-port.

"Gracious Heaven! Mr. Ramsay, can this be you? Why do you dream of coming here ?what do you want?" "Speak low, my dear girl-remember the captain sleeps only a few yards distant," replied Ramsay. "Where's your mistress?--give her my love, and tell her I come to bid her a last 'good-by' before the trial; for Heaven knows whither I may have to wander after it."

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'My mistress knows you're here, sir, and is dressing, as well as she is able for fright. Here, sir, hold this window, that it an't blown down, while I go and assist her."

In a few minutes the soubrette returned, and leaning on her arm was one who, though pallid with fear, and her beautiful figure disguised in the loose robes that her haste had flung around her, certainly appeared sufficiently lovely to form a very fair excuse for the ruin of any one.

As the officer beheld the approach of his mistress, for whom so costly a price was to be paid, he seemed to forget the host of surrounding dangers, and leaning over the port-sill on the gun beside it, pressed her to his bosom with a joy too great for utterance.

Anne, in the meanwhile, like a prudent and experienced abigail, had seated herself down by the fragile door of their little berth, where, placing her ear at the keyhole, she listened to the heavy breathing of her mistress's father.

The captain, soundly sleeping on the opposite side of the ship, little dreamed that his only daughter was clasped to the heart of the man he most detested upon earth, and that, too, in his own cabin.

Vain, weak being! His own harshness had contributed in no slight degree to the defeating of his views; and not even the discipline of a man-of-war, which conquers all things, and is circumvented by so few, could successfully bid defiance to the daring and ingenuity of love.

From the sound evidence afforded by the nose of Captain Livingstone, touching the slumber in which the said officer was wrapped, Anne, who felt much more at her ease, while keeping guard over him, than if he were keeping guard over her, had time every now and then to turn round and observe the movements of the loyers.

“It must be delightful," thought she, as indeed many a poor maiden has thought before her, "to have one you may tell all your sorrows to-to say nothing of putting your arms round his neck! Well, I'm sure that Mr. Ramsay takes kisses enough for fifty sweethearts. I don't think I should give mine so many by half; but if he does not take a little more care he'll be tumbling overboard, and then I shall be flayed alive by the captain, I suppose. Please, Miss Angela," whispered she, approaching to within earshot. "Mr. Ramsay had better now go before he's found out, for I'm afraid every moment he'll fall overboard."

To this Miss Angela's most pertinent reply was to clasp him more closely to herself. "Never fear for me," said the lieutenant, "I'm as firm as a rock. But if you're fearful of my falling over, I'll just step inside the port-for, as to going away, I hav'n't told your mistress the fiftieth part of what I have to say."

"O no! I dare say not-and never will, I suppose," said the girl.

"Do you think we may venture to let him come in, Anne?" inquired her mistress, laying her trembling hand on the girl's arm.

Why, ma'am," slily replied the girl, "I don't think we can help ourselves." And indeed in this supposition Anne had but exercised her usual judgment, since, ere she had time to answer her mistress's query, Ramsay was inside the berth, and sitting on the gun-tackle.