The pilot: a tale of the sea. By J. Fenimore Cooper.

" Is the old man mad.!` exclaimed the youzny
offier i the whale-tboatl wthen his rntl had ceased
rowing'; (doets lie think tlhat the bottom of the
Ariel is madte of iron, and that a rock can't knock
a ]hole in it! tor does lhe think she is manned with
ali:ators,. who can't be diowncd w'
A latiui't smil played totf r moment rou.tnd the
handsome features of thle young tmant, wo was ia
fti(1'er reclininog than sittingl in tle sternt-sheets of
the barge, as hle rep)lied
H!e knows: your ilprudence too well, Calptain
Iart nstaIb:le, to fear cither thewreck of your vesst, or the dlrownint of her crew. low n ieallt the
bottom does your keel lie 2'' t tiam aatidtl to sound," returned Barnstable.
" have never the heart to touch a lead-line w\hen
I see the rocks cominrg u to breathe like so 11many
porpoises.
" Yoau arte afloat!" exclaimed the other, with a
vehemenct e that denoted an abundance of latent
fire.
Afloat!" echoed his friendt; " ay! the little
Ariel would float in air'!" As he spoke, he rose
in the boat, tand iftint his leathern sea-cap firom
his'head, stroked back fthe thick clusters of black
locks whicht stadowed his 8sun-burnt countentance,
while he views ed his little ve ssel with tle comnplacency of a seamnan who Nwas proud of her: qualities
" But it's cl.ose vorkl, lMr., (.ritlitht when a manl
rides to a single anchor in a place like this, andt at
sulctl a tightfkl. Wfthat atre the orders'2
" I shlall pull, into the surf and let go a grap
nel; you wtill takte MIr. Merry into your vwhalve
boat, and try to drive her through the breakers onl
the beac.t.')
Beach!" retorted Barnstable " (10 you call