All this confidence, however, had now ended in disappointment; and, half-an-hour later, when it was announced to Cuffe that "the cutter, with Mr.Clinch, was coming down the bay toward them," the former even heard the name of his drunken favorite with disgust.

As was usual with him, when out of humor, he went below as the boat drew near, leaving orders for her officer to be sent down to him, the instant the latter got on board.

Five minutes later, Clinch thrust his hard-looking, weatherbeaten, but handsome red countenance in at the cabin-door.
"Well, sir," commenced the captain, on a tolerably high key, "a d--d pretty wild-goose chase you've sent us all on, down here, into this bay! The southerly wind is failing already, and in half an hour the ships will be frying the pitch off their decks, without a breath of air; when the wind does come, it will come out at west, and bring us all four or five leagues dead to leeward!" Clinch's experience had taught him the useful man-of-war lesson, to bow to the tempest, and not to attempt to brave it.

Whenever he was "rattled-down," as he called it, he had the habit of throwing an expression of surprise, comically blended with contrition, into his countenance, that seemed to say, "What have I done now ?"--or "If I have done anything amiss, you see how sorry I an for it." He met his irritated commander, on the present occasion, with this expression, and it produced the usual effect of mollifying him a little.
"Well, sir--explain this matter, if you please," continued Cuffe, after a moment's hesitation.
"Will you please to tell me, sir, what you wish explained ?" inquired Clinch, throwing more surprise than common, even, into his countenance.
"That is an extraordinary question, Mr.Clinch! I wish the signal you made from yonder headland explained, sir.

Did you not signal the ship, to say that you saw the le Few-Folly down here, at the southward ?" "Well, sir, I'm glad there was no mistake in the matter," answered Clinch, in a confident and a relieved manner.