I heard a loud laugh from the mate, but supposed, of course, it was called forth by something transpiring on deck; and a few minutes afterwards perceived the captain coming up the rigging, with the spyglass slung over his neck. He took a comfortable seat on the crosstrees (which was more than he allowed me to do, for I was required to stand the whole two hours), and, bringing his telescope to bear on the strange ship, said to me: "So you think he don't near us much, eh?" "I cannot perceive that he nears us at all," said I. "And yet there he is, coming right at us with to'gal'antsails set, and the breeze on his quarter." "Well," said he, "by all accounts, you are not the first one by dozens who has been mystified by that same craft. According to our observation, that is Ormsbee's Peak; a rock that rises out of the sea like a tower, at a considerable distance, too, from any other land. It tapers upward very much like the sails of a ship. I never saw it before, myself, but I am told that it is almost always raised from the masthead as a sail. So you needn't take any further note of Ormsbee's manoeuvres, for he won't come down near enough to us to-day. Keep a sharp eye on those fellows under our lee. If a whale comes up among the fleet here, we want to be in the suds as quick as any of 'em. "This ship off the lee quarter," said he, after a good look through his glass, "is the Pandora, I know by that new cloth in his mainsail, and the paint of his starboard boat, too. _That_ one I don't know," he muttered, "but the farthest one, nearly ahead of us, looks very much like our Strong Island partner, the Leonidas, though I can't swear to her at that distance." He soon after went down on deck, after again enjoining upon me to keep my eyes about me. My trick was nearly out, and I had as yet seen nothing to attract especial attention, the four ships still maintaining about the same relative positions, all on the starboard tack. I was getting tired, and wondering why the relief bell did not strike, when I noticed the Pandora was nearer the wind than she should be. I thought for a moment that this was merely the effect of carelessness on the part of the helmsman, but determined not to be caught napping, I hailed the deck, that "the Pandora was coming in stays." "No, he isn't," said the old man. "He has got too nigh the wind, that's all. There, he is filling again." But, as he spoke, the maintopsail of the next ship, the stranger, swung in to the mast, and his lee quarter boat could be seen projecting from under his counter. "He sees whales!" I shouted; but the old man was already shaking me on my perch, as he strided up the rigging, two ratlines at each step. "Hard up your helm!" said he. "Square in the after yards, Mr. Grafton, and get the boats ready as fast as possible. _Call all hands there, one of ye!_"