Chapter XVIII.

  “Now far he sweeps, where scarce a summer smiles,
  On Bhering’s rocks, or Greenland’s naked isles;
  Cold on his midnight watch the breezes blow,
  From wastes that slumber in eternal snow,
  And waft across the waves’ tumultuous roar,
  The wolf’s long howl from Oonalaska’s shore,”

  Campbell.

Roswell Gardiner set about his duties, the succeeding day, with a shade of deep reflection on his brow.  A crisis had, indeed, come in his affairs, and it behooved him to look well to his proceedings.  Daggett’s presence on the island was no longer of any moment to himself or his owner, but there remained the secret of the Key, and of the buried treasure.  Should the two schooners keep together, how was he to acquit himself in that part of his duty, without admitting of a partnership, against which he knew that every fibre in the deacon’s system, whether physical or moral, would revolt.  Still, his word was pledged, and he had no choice but to remain, and help fill up the rival Sea Lion, and trust to his own address in getting rid of her again, as the two vessels proceeded north.

The chief mate of Daggett’s craft, though a good sealer, was an impetuous and reckless man, and had more than once found fault with the great precautions used, by the orders of Roswell.  Macy, as this officer was called, was for making a regular onslaught upon the animals, slaying as many as they could at once, and then take up the business of curing and trying-out as a regular job.  He had seen such things done with success, and he believed it was the most secure mode of getting along.  ’Some of these fine mornings,’ as he expressed it, ’Captain Gar’ner would turn out, and find that his herd was off—­gone to pasture in some other field.’  This was a view of the matter with which Roswell did not at all agree.  His forbearing and cautious policy had produced excellent results so far, and he hoped it would continue so to do, until both schooners were full.  On the morning when the men next went forth, he as leader of both crews, therefore, our young master renewed his admonitions, pointing out to the new-comers, in particular, the great necessity there was of using forbearance, and not to alarm the seals more than the work indispensably required.  The usual number of “Ay, ay’s, sir!” were given in reply, and the gangs went along the rocks, seemingly in a good humour to obey these injunctions.

Circumstances, however, were by no means favourable to giving Roswell the same influence over the Vineyard-men as he possessed over his own crew.  He was a young commander, and this was his first voyage in that capacity, as all well knew; then, there had been rivalry and competition between the two crafts, which was a feeling not so easily removed; next, Macy felt, and even intimated, that he was the lawful commander of his own schooner, in cases in which Daggett was disabled, and that the latter had no power to transfer him and his people to the authority of any other individual.  All these points were discussed that day with some freedom, particularly among the Vineyard-men, and especially the last.