ABOUT twelve o'clock
Nicholas 's dark eye flashes upon them , and with an instinctive knowledge of their errand , he seizes a broad axe , salutes them , and , defiantly , cautions their advance . Grabguy heeds not ; and as the aggrieved man slowly retreats backward to protect himself with the wall , still keeping his eye set on Grabguy , two negroes make a sudden spring upon him from behind , fetter his arms as the officers rush forward , bind him hand and foot , and drag him to the door , regardless of his cries for mercy : they bind him to a dray , and drive through the streets to the slave pen of Graspum . We hear his pleading voice , as his ruffian captors , their prey secure , disappear among the busy crowd . ABOUT twelve o'clock of a hazy night , in the month of November , and while Annette , in the hands of Mr. Pringle Blowers , with death-like tenacity refuses to yield to his vile purposes , a little taunt-rigged schooner may be seen stealing her way through the grey mist into Charleston inner harbour . Like a mysterious messenger , she advances noiselessly , gibes her half-dimmed sails , rounds to a short distance from an old fort that stands on a ridge of flats extending into the sea , drops her anchor , and furls her sails . We hear the rumble of the chain , and `` aye , aye ! '' sound on the still air , like the murmur of voices in the clouds .