Chapter 18 - Page 2

express any exception to the
opinion, which might increase the fears of his companions.

"Provided it were two months earlier in the year," he added, in a tone of
less confidence.

"The season is, then, against us: It only requires the greater resolution
in ourselves!"

Wilder turned his head to regard the fair speaker, whose pale and placid
countenance, as the moon silvered her fine features, expressed any thing
but the courage to endure the hardships he so well knew she was liable to
encounter, before they might hope to gain the Continent. After musing a
moment, he lifted his open hand towards the south-west, and held its palm
some little time to the air of the night.

"Any thing is better than idleness, for people in our condition," he
said. "There are some symptoms of the breeze coming in this quarter; I
will be ready to meet it."

He then spread his two lug-sails; and, trimming aft the sheets, placed
himself at the helm, like one who expected his services there might be
shortly needed. The result did not disappoint his expectations. Ere Long,
the light canvas of the boat began to flutter; and then, as he brought the
bows in the proper direction, the little vessel commenced moving slowly
along its blind and watery path.

The wind soon came fresher upon the sails, heavily charged with the
dampness of the hour. Wilder urged the latter reason as a motive for the
females to seek their rest beneath a little canopy of tarpaulings, which
his foresight had also provided, and on mattresses he had brought from the
ship Perceiving that their protector wished to be alone, Mrs Wyllys and
her pupil did as desired; and, in a few minutes, if not asleep, no one
could have told that any other than our adventurer had possession of the
solitary launch.

The middle hour of the night went by, without any material change in the
prospects of those whose fate so much depended on the precarious influence
of the weather. The wind had freshened to a smart breeze; and, by the
calculations of Wilder, he had already moved across many leagues of ocean,
directly in a line for the eastern end of that long and narrow isle that
separates the waters which wash the shores of Connecticut from those of
the open sea. The minutes flew swiftly by; for the time was propitious and
the thoughts of the young seaman were busy with the recollections of a
short but adventurous life. At moments he leaned forward, as if he would
catch the gentle respiration of one who slept beneath the dark and rude
canopy, and as though he might distinguish the soft breathings of her
slumbers from those of her companions. Then would his form fall back into
its seat, and his lip curl, or even move, as