“And who is the seaman at his elbow, that apparently is occupied in divesting his person of some superfluous garments?” demanded Wilder, irresistibly attracted, by the manner of the Rover, to pursue the subject.

“An economical Dutchman.  He calculates that it is just as wise to be killed in an old jacket as in a new one; and has probably said as much to his Gascon neighbour, who is, however, resolved to die decently, if die he must.  The former has happily commenced his preparations for the combat in good season, or the enemy might defeat us before he would be in readiness.  Did it rest between these two worthies to decide this quarrel, the mercurial Frenchman would defeat his neighbour of Holland, before the latter believed the battle had commenced; but, should he let the happy moment pass, rely on it, the Dutchman would give him trouble.  Forget you, Wilder, that the day has been when the countrymen of that slow-moving and heavy-moulded fellow swept the narrow seas with a broom at their mast-heads?”

The Rover smiled wildly as he spoke, and what he said he uttered with bitter emphasis.  To his companion however, there appeared no such grounds of unnatural exultation, in recalling the success of a foreign enemy, and he was content to assent to the truth of the historical fact with a simple inclination of his head.  As if he even found pain in this confession, and would gladly be rid of the mortifying reflection altogether, he rejoined, in some apparent haste,—­

“You have overlooked the two tall seamen, who are making out the rig of the stranger with so much gravity of observation.”

“Ay, those are men that came from a land in which we both feel some interest.  The sea is not more unstable than are those rogues in their knavery.  Their minds are but half made up to piracy.—­’Tis a coarse word, Mr Wilder, but I fear we earn it.  But these rascals make a reservation of grace in the midst of all their villainy.”

“They regard the stranger as if they saw reason to distrust the wisdom of letting him approach so near.”

“Ah! they are renowned calculators.  I fear they have detected the four supernumerary guns you mentioned; for their vision seems supernatural in affairs which touch their interests.  But you see there is brawn and sinew in the fellows; and, what is better, there are heads which teach them to turn those advantages to account.”

“You think they fail in spirit?”

“Hum!  It might be dangerous to try it on any point they deemed material.  They are no quarrellers about words, and seldom lose sight of certain musty maxims, which they pretend come from a volume that I fear you and I do not study too intently.  It is not often that they strike a blow for mere chivalry; and, were they so inclined, the rogues are too much disposed to logic, to mistake, like your black, the ‘Dolphin’ for a church.  Still, if they see reason, in their puissant judgments, to engage,