Chapter 6 - Page 2

After a delay of several days, Hazard sent across from Stonington a man by
the name of Watson, who had the reputation of being a first-class sealer.
This accession was highly prized; and, in the absence of his mates, both
of whom were out looking for hands, Roswell Gardiner, to whom command was
still novel, consulted freely with this experienced and skillful mariner.
It was fortunate for the schemes of the deacon that he had left his young
master still in the dark, as respected his two great secrets. Gardiner
understood that the schooner was to go after seals, sea-lions,
sea-elephants, and all animals of the genus _phoca;_ but he had been told
nothing concerning the revelations of Daggett, or of the real motives that
had induced him to go so far out of his usual course, in the pursuit of
gain. We say it was fortunate that the deacon had been so wary; for Watson
had no intention whatever to sail out of Oyster Pond, having been actually
engaged as the second officer of the rival Sea Lion, which had been
purchased at New Bedford, and was then in an active state of forwardness
in its equipments, with a view to compete with the craft that was still
lying so quietly and unconsciously alongside of Deacon Pratt's wharf. In a
word, Watson was a spy, sent across by the Vineyard-men, to ascertain all
he could of the intentions of the schooner's owner, to worm himself into
Gardiner's confidence, and to report, from time to time, the state of
things generally, in order that the East-enders might not get the start of
his real employers. It is a common boast of Americans that there are no
spies in their country. This may be true in the every-day signification of
the term, though it is very untrue in all others. This is probably the
most spying country in christendom, if the looking into other people's
concerns be meant. Extensive and recognised systems of _espionage_ exist
among merchants; and nearly every man connected with the press has
enlisted himself as a sort of spy in the interests of politics--many, in
those of other concerns, also. The reader, therefore, is not to run away
with impressions formed under general assertions that will scarce bear
investigation, and deny the truth of pictures that are drawn with
daguerreotype fidelity, because they do not happen to reflect the cant of
the day. The man Watson, who had partially engaged to go out in the Sea
Lion, captain Roswell Gardiner, was not only a spy, but a spy sent
covertly into an enemy's camp, with the meanest motives, and with
intentions as hostile as the nature of the circumstances would permit.

Such was the state of things on Oyster Pond for quite a week after the
nephew had been to look after the effects of the deceased uncle. The
schooner was now quite ready for sea,