We found the two clippers tied up as the owner had indicated. We sauntered carelessly around, visiting two or three other embargoed craft before we stepped on board the Marguerite. I'm sure we displayed no more interest in them than in other vessels in the vicinity, and our actions could not arouse anybody's suspicions. Several sailors and longshore-men were idling about; some of them were known to us, and we greeted them after the customary manner, making no effort to avoid them. While we were there we met a young captain of our acquaintance; at first he manifested a disposition to join us just for the sake of passing away the time, and we feared that he would not be easily shaken off. Happily, he inquired for another captain who was known to all of us, and whom we had just left at our boarding-house. "You'll find him down at the Neptune," said David; "when we left he was wishing a friend would happen in, as he felt lonesome." "I guess I'll go down and see him;" responded our friend. He suited the action to the word and went away, greatly to our satisfaction. We looked the vessels over with great care, and made up our minds what was wanted. Each of them would carry three guns on a side, and a long gun amidships, and there was abundant room for crew and stores. The running and standing riggings were in good condition, and the sails were nearly new. The vessels were all ready for sea when the embargo of April (1812) was enacted by Congress, and consequently there was very little to be done in the way of fitting out. We lingered as long as we dared around the two clippers, and then returned to the Neptune, though not directly. There was a riddle to be solved that bothered us a good deal, but finally I hit upon what I considered a fair solution of it. CHAPTER XV. FITTING FOR SEA.--WAR DECLARED.--OUT ON A CRUISE.--MY FIRST PRIZE.--OLD FRIENDS. "We'll ship a crew for each of these craft," said I, "a small crew, just enough for inland navigation, and we'll have three or four carpenters in each crew in addition. First one of us and then the other will get off up the North River; we're going to Albany, or anywhere else, for cargoes for New York, and we're working for small wages rather than lie idle. We'll use Haines and Herne to get our crews together, but won't take them into our secret at all, as there's no occasion to do so.