But this wasn't the worst
of it; for when he got fairly back to his work again, the wind had been
blowing the leaves of his book about, and he plumped us into the middle of
the marriage ceremony. I am no great lawyer, but there were those who said
it was a god-send that half the young men in the parish weren't married
to their own grandmothers!"
"I hope the match was agreeable to the family," said Ludlow, relieving one
elbow by resting the weight of his head on the other.
"Why, as to that, I will not take upon me to say since the clerk corrected
the parson's reckoning before the mischief was entirely done. There has
been a little dispute between me and the first-lieutenant, Captain Ludlow,
concerning the trim of the ship. He maintains that we have got too much in
forward of what he calls the centre of gravity; and he is of opinion that
had we been less by the head, the smuggler would never have had the heels
of us, in the chase; whereas I invite any man to lay a craft on her
water-line----"
"Show our light!" interrupted Ludlow. "Yonder goes the signal of the
launch!"
Trysail ceased speaking, and, stepping on a gun, he also began to gaze in
the direction of the Cove. A lantern, or some other bright object, was
leisurely raised three times, and as often hid from view. The signal came
from under the land, and in a quarter that left no doubt of its object.
"So far, well;" cried the Captain, quitting his stand, and turning, for
the first time, with consciousness, to his officer.
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