The Pilot's Daughter [pp. 41-64]

50 THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER. [Oct.,
spanking breeze from~ the northwest, the Squall was speeding
toward the Sound.
Mehitable had never been in so large a craft before, and as
there was no unpleasant motion just yet she was beside herself
with delight. Past Locust Point they flew-in those days really
covered with beautiful locust-trees; Throg's Neck, City Island,
and the Chimney-Sweeps were soon left astern, and it was not
until they came abreast of what is known as Execution Rock that
anything exciting occurred. Here Mehitable gave a little
scream when she heard a cannon boom, but ceased to tremble
the moment Ben assured her that there was no danger. "Only
a British frigate that wishes to know who we are and whither
bound," he said, soothingly stroking her arm. "It's a pirate!
We are lost!" exclaimed Phebe's father. "Hush!" said Phebe,
who was steering-" hush! or you'll frighten Mehitable into
a fit." "0 Lord! It's a pirate," repeated the old man-" a
bloody pirate!"
"He is only joking," whispered Ben. Whereupon Mehitable answered: "I trust in you, kind sir, to protect me; I am not
afraid with you." "Bewitching creature!" thought Ben as he
gazed upon her. "Thou art more like a lily than ever.
The man-of-war, after a brief inspection, allowed them to proceed. Up, up the broadening Sound they sailed; fresher and
fresher blew the breeze and higher rolled the waves. "The
wind is hauling round to the northeast, Ben," spoke the pilot
when they were off Huntington Harbor. "It is blowing more
in my face than when we started." Ben nodded, and did not
breathe another word to Mehitable for five minutes, but anxiously scanned the horizon, especially a dark spot a little east of
north. "Yes, we are going to have a blow. The foresail is
beginning to shake; we cannot keep this course much longer,"
spoke Phebe, whose deft hands were still guiding the schooner,
and who knew the signs of the sky. "Be not alarmed," said Ben
to Mehitable, who was again trembling, and whose Visage had
assumed a deathly pallor. "Stay where you are while I go and
~ttend to the sails." With this he went away, leaving the moaning, agitated maiden with her head pillowed on his overcoat; and
never in all her life had Mehitable felt so utterly forlorn. "Alas!
why did I come aboard this hateful vessel? Oh! how sick I feel,"
~she said.
Within an hour a long line of angry clouds was sweeping
down from the northeast. The foresail had been taken in and
Ben was wishing that he had brought a larger crew; there were