Formidable, meanwhile, were the preparations
which were made for the seizure of the Zephyr. The
suspicion which had long rested upon this vessel was
now turned into a reasonable certainty, and Governor
Lovelace, roused to vigorous action by so great an
outrage, was determined to bring her into port, and to
arrest her whole crew as pirates, not doubting that
the fullest proof could be adduced against them.
There was no naval force in any shape attached to
the colonial government at this period; but there was

[figure description] Page 110.[end figure description]

fortunately a British man-of-war lying in port, undergoing
some repairs, which, although unfitted for
immediate service, was manned by a gallant crew and
brave officers, of whom Mr. Second Lieutenant Flash
was one. To his charge the expedition was committed,
which was to be, if necessary, a regular “cutting
out” affair, although it was hoped that the enemy,
being unalarmed, would offer no serious resistance.
Not so however hoped Flash, who, from the moment
that he was intrusted with the enterprise, considered
his long expected promotion as secured beyond any
further contingency. How it will read in the gazettes
at home, he said to himself gleefully, as he stood
watching an old tar who was diligently engaged in
furbishing up his sword hilt: “Lieut. Flash, with three
gun-boats of marines, made a most daring and gallant
attack upon a piratical sloop-of-war, of twelve guns,
lying in the bay of Manhattan—tremendous conflict—
deck strewn with the dying—blood in torrents—” and
Flash snapped his fingers, and cut a rapid pigeon-wing
at the delightful anticipation. “We'll carry her of
course,” he said; “there'll be lots of prize money, probably,
but no matter about that; there's a first lieutenantcy,
that's certain;” and again he laughed and
rubbed his hands joyously together.

All day did Egbert Groesbeck walk excitedly
about, watching the mysterious preparations; for no

[figure description] Page 111.[end figure description]

one felt more anxious than he about the result. He
feared momentarily that the Zephyr would take to
flight, for she seemed like some graceful sea-bird,
floating buoyantly upon the water, and ready to
spread her white wings at the least alarm. There
seemed however little ground for such an apprehension,
for she had lain for weeks in her present position,
and gave no indication of any intended change.
The failure to find Ripley on shore created no surprise,
for he frequently passed days together on his
ship, and he was supposed to be in profound ignorance
of the deep and well-digested designs against him.

Benhadad's feelings were of a conflicting character,
but his complacency was in part restored by his being,
as he fancied, the prime mover in the momentous
events which were now occurring. He thanked
Heaven, with a vertical toss of his head, that he had
at length opened the eyes of the government, and
had got the government into motion; and Miss Euphemia
guessed that Mr. Ralph Ripley would learn
better than to carry off folks's papas, and just as
folks were going to be married, too. Swelling with
the importance of his secret, and wearing a profounder
look than Pitt, with the fate of Europe in his
hands, Benhadad strayed, or rather stalked, at twilight,
to the wharf, and examined the boats and the
munitions which were being prepared for the

[figure description] Page 112.[end figure description]

enterprise. He was joined by Lieutenant Flash, who,
coming up to him with a face radiant with joy, exclaimed,

“Sharp, I've got the most delightful news for you;
Captain Grim is really a very considerate man; he
says, considering your natural anxiety in the matter,
he will not object to you accompanying the expedition,
and doing what you can to render it successful—
under me, of course.”

“I—I—ah—yes—I fear—” muttered Benhadad, a
little crest-fallen.

“You can go in my boat, you know,” continued the
rattling lieutenant—“first to board, after me—youthful
ardor—pike-in-hand—dash into the cabin—and rescue
your father with your own hands;—won't it be
glorious?”

“Y—y—yes,” said Benhadad, “it would be nice—
that would—but what will the bloody pirates be doing
all that time?”

“Oh, cut and thrust—take and give—neck or
nothing,” said Flash—“the chances of war, you
know; they may blow us all up together in one
undistinguish—a—a—why, what the deuce is the
matter, Sharp? you look as pale as a sheet.”

“Why, the truth is,” replied Benhadad, “I'm a little
unwell, and I think I'd better not venture out; the
night air don't exactly agree with me, and I believe

[figure description] Page 113.[end figure description]

I'll stay at home. 'Twould be all very nice, of course—
youthful ardor—pike-in-hand—and all that, and I'm
very much obliged to you, you know, all the same;
good night, Mr. Flash—take care you don't get wet.”

The single-minded lieutenant, educated to a contempt
of danger, and whose valor was always red-hot,
could scarcely credit the cowardice of his companion.
He had expected to be overwhelmed with
thanks. He gazed after him for some time in silent
wonder, and then muttering a contemptuous “Pshaw!”
turned quickly away.

It is due to Captain Sinclair to say that that gallant
officer called upon the governor and made a tender
of his services to command the expedition, thereby
gaining great éclat at a very slight cost, inasmuch as
Captain Grim of the man-of-war would not of course
listen to such a proposal to the prejudice of an officer
in His Majesty's navy.

“But probably,” said Lovelace, “if Captain Sinclair
chooses to take one of the boats—”

Captain Sinclair bowed very low, and smiled very
graciously. He would do it gladly, but for the risk
of giving offence in certain high quarters at home, by
taking command under a lieutenant. The thing was
not to be thought of. What would his cousin the
Duke of Parma say, and Count Sylvio—and—and—

[figure description] Page 114.[end figure description]

and Captain Sinclair wished the governor a very good
morning.

“A devilish fine fellow, that Sinclair is,” said Lovelace
to one of his companions as the Spaniard bowed
himself out of the room; “I wish we could induce
him to remain among us.”

“It is said that he will do so,” was the reply; “he
has talked for several weeks past of a design to purchase
an estate here, and retire from the service.”

Motionless meanwhile, and with no appearance of
life upon her decks, lay the suspected Zephyr. The
wind was light, and was growing gradually less, and
Ripley avoided exhibiting any premonitions of flight,
until the breeze was sufficient to render the attempt
effectual; for if he was to be compelled to await an
attack, it was better that the enemy should suppose
him to be unalarmed. He relied however on the
wind freshening at sunset, enough at least to admit of
changing his position to some good hiding-place, and
in the night or the early morning, the zephyrs would
be pretty certain to come to the assistance of their
graceful little namesake. “Two or three puffs,” he
said, looking aloft with knotted brows, “will put her
outside the Narrows, and then we are safe.” Ripley
would have fought the boats with a perfect good will,
had not Sinclair forbidden it, and then besides, he
thought, this fighting with a halter around one's neck

[figure description] Page 115.[end figure description]

isn't exactly the thing. His guns were mounted, however,
and all his weapons were put in order to repel
an attack, and it was not a little singular that two
diligent subordinate officers who superintended these
labors, bore a marvellous resemblance to the Austrian
lieutenants, of whom mention has heretofore been
made.

All day did Ralph watch the sky and scan the
light feathery clouds to find tokens of the coming
wind—but all in vain: the breeze continued to fall
away, and when the sun went down there was a
perfect calm. So smooth and motionless lay the
waters that the stars, as they successively came to
their posts, were greeted by their images in the wide
and beautiful mirror which lay stretched beneath
them. The situation of the Zephyr became momentarily
more critical, and Ripley began to give tokens
of uneasiness. Even the tide had joined the list of
his enemies. It was coming slowly in, and any
attempt to change his position, by drifting, would
have borne him still further from the open sea, and
would thus have diminished his chances of escape.

Meanwhile Lieutenant Flash was the busiest and
happiest man in the province. It was about nine
o'clock that he put his force in motion, after a brief
hortatory address to his men, reminding them that
the honor of their flag, their own private reputation,

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and a small fortune for each of them, depended upon
their conduct. “It's probable,” he said, “mind I don't
say it's certain, but it's probable that fellow is ballasted
with ingots. Remember that the most perfect
silence is to be maintained, and you all understand
that, one way or another, we are to bring the Zephyr
into port. So push ahead, my hearties, and you,
Midshipmen Jones and Smith,” addressing the commandants
of the other two boats, “don't forget my
orders, and now—go ahead—no, not yet,—one thing
more,” said the lieutenant, charged to the brim with
ecstatic delight—“the man who first touches the deck
of the Zephyr shall have half of my prize money—
that's all—go ahead;” and touching his cap to Governor
Lovelace and Captain Grim, who, with one or
two others, stood wrapt in their cloaks on the quarter-deck
of “the Terror,” watching the embarkation, the
gallant lieutenant sat down, and the boats, with muffled
oars, moved noiselessly off. It is needless to say
that every man resolved to be first on board the enemy,
and with such enthusiasm, there was little fear
of defeat.

As the twilight had departed, Ripley's alarm had
rapidly increased. The unfurled sails were hanging
motionless from the masts, ready for the wind, which
did not come; and one, with an axe, stood ready to

[figure description] Page 117.[end figure description]

cut the huge cable at the first rustling of the air. But
still the seemingly doomed vessel lay,

Every preparation was therefore made for the
conflict which now seemed unavoidable; and although
the Zephyr was but slightly manned, the fierce looks
and threats of twenty bold buccaneers showed that
she would prove no easy prey. The disadvantage
of the pirates consisted in being greatly outnumbered,
and in the fact that their enemy, if beaten off, could
reinforce his strength and renew the attack. As to
the guns of the ship, but little aid was expected from
them in the silence and obscurity of a night attack'
when the first notice of their foe might be the clash of
the grappling irons. An hour elapsed, and a distinct
though faint sound of oars was heard. Every heart
beat quicker.

“All hands to repel boarders!” said the third
officer, in a suppressed voice.

“Silence, you fool,” retorted Ralph; “do you think
they'll come with such a noise as that?”

“Zephyr, ahoy, ahoy!” came up in a faint but
familiar voice from under the bow.

“It's the Captain!” responded twenty voices in a

[figure description] Page 118.[end figure description]

breath, and before the buzz of excitement had subsided,
Sinclair stood upon the deck.

“I knew Captain Karl wasn't the man to see his
comrades fighting against odds, and he not there,”
said a privileged old ruffian, with an oath.

“No, no, my boys,” replied the Captain, evidently
in a state of the most intense excitement; “no, no!
the Zephyr's my bride; if she's lost, so am I; but,”
he continued, drawing Ralph aside and lowering his
voice still more, “this is a bad fix, Ripley; but—
you've disposed of Sharp, of course?”

“Disposed of him?” growled Ralph; “he's asleep,
I presume, below, taking his comfort; he must not be
disturbed on any account. Probably he'd like something
warm for supper.”

“Tut, tut, over with him, of course; I did not calculate
on this; we must not be found with him on
board.”

“Mr. Ripley,” whispered a sailor, touching him and
pointing over the bow, “I think they're coming, sir.”

Ralph looked and distinctly saw a dark object
moving slowly and noiselessly, like a cloud on the
water, and approaching the vessel in the direction of
her bow, evidently to avoid danger from the guns.

“They're coming, Captain Karl,” he said, “in
earnest.”

“So is the wind!” replied Sinclair, as with one

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hand extended, he felt the air; “stand by to cut the
cable.”

“Aye, aye, sir.”

In a minute more a flapping noise was heard
against the masts; the next, the sails slightly filled.
The order to cut was given, and the parted cable fell
with a splash into the water; the canvass slowly
distended, and the vessel came gracefully around, and
glided, duck-like, down the bay.

Flash saw it, heard it, felt the growing breeze on
his cheek, and groaned in the intensity of his anguish.
A parting ball skipped past him on the wave,
and he almost wished, for the moment, that it had not
missed its aim.

“'Twas very hard, Captain Grim,” he said, as,
twenty minutes afterwards, he stood once more on
shipboard, gazing gloomily seaward; “she slipped
right through my fingers, sir, at the very last minute,”
and Flash dashed a tear from his cheek.

“Never mind, Harry,” said Grim, whose usual
hauteur had yielded to admiration of his young officer's
valor; “never mind; Sir Henry shall hear all
about it; and I'll see to your promotion myself.”

This unexpected kindness came like balm to the
mortified spirit of the lieutenant. He knew that
Captain Grim was not lavish either of praises or
promises, and he knew, moreover, that he was the

[figure description] Page 120.[end figure description]

brother of one of the Lords of the Admiralty. So
Harry took heart, and made the best of it.

Merrily, meanwhile, went the Zephyr on her way,
and as she passed slowly along near the eastern
shore of the bay, the despairing Sharp gazed out
from a crevice in his prison, and looked earnestly
landward. He recognized, even by starlight, the
shape of the coast, and knew it as his own soil, and
as a part of the famed Knickerbocker manor. Long
and wistfully he gazed, clinging, as it were, by his
eyes, to each receding point, and looking still in the
same direction when it had faded entirely from view.

Onward went the Zephyr, rapidly, merrily, and
bidding a final adieu to the bay of Manhattan and all
its appurtenances. Off Robins' Reef she parted with
her ubiquitous Captain, who was seen the next morning
leisurely smoking his meerschaum, as usual, on the
piazza of Mynheer Schnaffenswauzer's inn.

“Flash, my fine fellow,” he said, as he was accidentally
joined by the lieutenant, “they tell me you
had bad luck last night; I am sorry for you; I am,
indeed. I always thought that—a—a—Ripton there,
was a dem'd pirate; he had a bad look decidedly.”

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