Spike understood the sounds that reached him, among which was the call of the boatswain, and he bestirred himself accordingly. Experienced as he was in chases and all sorts of nautical artifices, he very well knew that his situation was sufficiently critical. It would have been so, with a steamer at his heels, in the open ocean; but, situated as he was, he was compelled to steer but one course, and to accept the wind on that course as it might offer. If he varied at all in his direction it was only in a trifling way, though he did make some of these variations. Every moment was now precious, however, and he endeavored to improve the time to the utmost. He knew that he could greatly outsail the revenue vessel, under canvas, and some time would be necessary to enable her to get up her steam; half an hour at the very least. On that half hour, then, depended the fate of the Molly Swash. “Send the booms on the yards, and set stun’sails at once, Mr. Mulford,” said Spike, the instant the more regular canvas was spread forward. “This wind will be free enough for all but the lower stun’sail, and we must drive the brig on.” “Are we not looking up too high, Capt. Spike? The Stepping-Stones are ahead of us, sir.” “I know that very well, Mulford. But it’s nearly high water, and the brig’s in light trim, and we may rub and go. By making a short cut here, we shall gain a full mile on the steamer; that mile may save us.” “Do you really think it possible to get away from that craft, which can always make a fair wind of it, in these narrow waters, Capt. Spike?” “One don’t know, sir. Nothin’ is done without tryin’, and by tryin’ more is often done than was hoped for. I have a scheme in my head, and Providence may favor me in bringing it about.” Providence! The religionist quarrels with the philosopher if the latter happen to remove this interposition of a higher power, even so triflingly as by the intervention of secondary agencies, while the biggest rascal dignifies even his success by such phrases as Providential aid! But it is not surprising men should misunderstand terms, when they make such sad confusion in the acts which these terms are merely meant to represent. Spike had his Providence as well as a priest, and we dare say he often counted on its succor, with quite as rational grounds of dependence as many of the pharisees who are constantly exclaiming, “The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are these.”