could scarce grow to believe that the same poor lad who had trudged in

the dust from Ettrick Forest not two days ago, was now one of the rich

of the earth, and had a house and broad lands, and might mount his horse

tomorrow. All these pleasant things, and a thousand others, crowded into

my mind, as I sat staring before me out of the inn window, and paying

no heed to what I saw; only I remember that my eye lighted on Captain

Hoseason down on the pier among his seamen, and speaking with some

authority. And presently he came marching back towards the house, with

no mark of a sailor's clumsiness, but carrying his fine, tall figure

with a manly bearing, and still with the same sober, grave expression on

his face. I wondered if it was possible that Ransome's stories could

be true, and half disbelieved them; they fitted so ill with the man's

looks. But indeed, he was neither so good as I supposed him, nor quite

so bad as Ransome did; for, in fact, he was two men, and left the better

one behind as soon as he set foot on board his vessel.

The next thing, I heard my uncle calling me, and found the pair in the

road together. It was the captain who addressed me, and that with an air

(very flattering to a young lad) of grave equality.

"Sir," said he, "Mr. Balfour tells me great things of you; and for my

own part, I like your looks. I wish I was for longer here, that we might

make the better friends; but we'll make the most of what we have. Ye

shall come on board my brig for half an hour, till the ebb sets, and

drink a bowl with me."

Now, I longed to see the inside of a ship more than words can tell; but

<<BackPagesTo menuNext>>