Cringle and cross-tree

I could not exactly tell what had put it there, but it was there. I had just returned to St. Louis from Chicago, where I had spent two years at the desk. I had been brought up i...

I inquired into the matter a little more closely, and found the land was that which had ruined Mr. Charles Whippleton, and which he had deeded to Mr. Collingsby in settlement fo...

By the time I was ready to open my trunk, the steamer had settled upon the bottom of the river, which was not very deep at this point. Finding the boat was going down no farther...

"Well, whiskey isn't. If you should go to sea for two or three years, you would find it necessary to splice the main brace, especially in heavy weather, when you are wet and cold."

The bag which had contained my gold was distended as though the treasure were still there; but it was light, and I was satisfied that it contained nothing more substantial than...

I had no difficulty in believing that Mr. Ben Waterford was a rascal and a swindler, but it was hard to realize that one who had occupied so respectable a position in Chicago ha...

As soon as I saw the face of Mr. Ben Waterford, I retreated to the cabin, and then to the steerage, where my trunk had been deposited. I felt as though I had seen the evil one,...

My men had given up the contest, but I had not. A single glance at Mr. Ben Waterford was enough to nerve my arm for anything. But really there was nothing that I could do, excep...

"We are in blue water, Phil," said Mr. Ben Waterford, as he opened the door of the state-room. "I didn't know but you might want to take a last look at the shores of your native...

Jack Sanderson was an old sailor. I had noticed, when I first came on board of the bark, that he was very drunk. But he had a kind heart, and was a person of great natural abili...

At eight bells, or four in the morning, the port watch was relieved, and I was permitted to sleep till half past seven, which is breakfast time on board ship. We did not sit dow...

"He didn't make anything by that crack he gave you. We're rough in for'ad here, Phil, but we know what's right. The men all like you, Phil. They say you are smart, and that the...

I believed that the Michigan was bound to the coast of Africa for a cargo of slaves. The boatman who had tried to assist me to escape had said as much to me, though I did not un...

We had not gone aft to fight, only to talk; and we were not prepared for the violent demonstration which was made against us. We intended, after the fashion of sailors, to prese...

The streak of smoke was on our weather bow, the wind being from the north-east. The fact that the sail was a steamer rendered it almost certain that she was a man-of-war; one of...

Waterford certainly looked as ugly as ever, if he did not act so. He planked the deck on the weather side, and occasionally glanced at me, as though I was the cause of all the m...

I was alone again. I felt that we had lost our case. The men had given up the battle, drank their grog, and, under the influence of liquor, would be as willing to trade in human...

I did not believe it would require a great deal of eloquence to bring our party back to a sense of their duty, and I waited impatiently for the time of action. The steerage grew...

Jack Sanderson was a powerful man, and when he had seized the hands of Waterford, he threw his body upon that of his victim. Resistance was useless and hopeless. The mate strugg...

"I am; the work is done, and well done. If you had told me what you were doing, I would have taken part with you. I gave Sanderson to understand that I was against slaving."

I was alone with the prisoners,--nine in number,--all but one of whom lay in the berths of the steerage, bound hand and foot. Waterford, the most active and dangerous of the par...

"Now, my lads, we are in ship-shape and working order," said Captain York, after all the arrangements had been completed. "We have the bark; but what shall we do with her?"

As all hands were called, Captain York took the command, and Sanderson went forward among the men. As my station was also in the midst of the crew, I had an opportunity to see w...

"No, I was not," he protested, warmly. "I had just been round and looked at the pirates. They were all safe and right, and I sat down on the box near the door which leads betwee...

"Hush!" said I, when the scuttle was opened, in order to impress upon the minds of those below the necessity of great caution, for I was not ready to do any talking with them. O...

It was "all hands on deck" the rest of that night, and the gale came with a fury which I had never seen before. I was second mate of the bark; and, though it was not expected of...