"It must be an enjoyable life, Marcy," replied Allison. "You see any amount of fun and excitement, draw big prize-money in addition to your regular wages, and, better than all, you run no sort of risk. It may surprise you to know that I have been turning the matter over in my mind a good deal of late, and have come to the conclusion that I should enjoy being one of a privateer's crew. What do you think about it?" "I am not acquainted with a single fellow who would enjoy it more," answered Marcy, who told himself that Allison was just coward enough to engage in some such disreputable business. "You are just the lad for it. It is such fun to bring a swift vessel to and haul down the old flag in the face of men who are powerless to defend it." Sharp as Marcy Gray was, his strong love for the Union and his intense hatred for the business in which he was perforce engaged, sometimes led him to come dangerously near to betraying himself. Allison looked sharply at him, but there was nothing in Marcy's face to indicate that he did not mean every word he said. "I am heartily glad I am going to sea again," continued the latter; and he told nothing but the truth. The companionship of the ignorant foreigners who composed the _Osprey's_ crew was more to his liking than daily intercourse with pretended friends who were constantly watching for a chance to get him into trouble. "Do you think I could get on with Captain Beardsley?" inquired Allison. "You might. The crew was full when I left the schooner, but I will speak to the captain, if you would like to have me." "I really wish you would, for I am anxious to do something for the glorious cause of Southern independence. When do you sail?" "I don't know. About all the captain says in his letter is that he wants me to report immediately." "Does he say whether or not the _Hollins_ has been sold yet?" "Oh, yes; he speaks of that, and congratulates me on the fact that I have eight hundred and seventy-live dollars more to my credit on the schooner's books than I did when I left her at Newbern." "W-h-e-w!" whistled Allison. "How long did it take you to make the capture?" "Four or five hours, I should say." "Eight hundred and seventy-five dollars for four or five hours' work! Marcy, you have struck a gold mine. You will be as rich as Julius Caesar in less than a year." "How long do you suppose Uncle Sam will allow such--such work to be kept up?" exclaimed Marcy. "Oh, no doubt he would be glad to stop it now if he could; but when he tries it, he will find that he's got the hardest job on his hands he ever undertook. There never was a better place for carrying on such business than the waters of North Carolina. Our little inlets are too shallow to float a heavy man-of-war."