half-a-dozen pairs apiece, I believe, since they've been down here!"

"Better a shoemaker's bill," said Mrs Gilmour, "than a doctor's, sure,
me dear Dugald."

"Aye, by Jove!" put in the Captain with a chuckle. "There's nothing
like leather, you know."

"By the way, talking of that, though I don't mean to say it's made like
the old Britons' coracles," observed Mrs Gilmour silly, "when is that
yacht of yours going to be ready, Captain?"

This unexpected inquiry made the old sailor blush a rosy red, for his
face was turned westwards towards the setting sun, and all could see it
plainly; albeit, he tried to conceal his perturbation by drawing out his
brilliant bandana handkerchief and blowing his nose vigorously--an old
trick of his.

"I--I--I'm having her done up," he at length stammered out. "She wanted
a lot of repair."

"So I should think," rejoined his persecutor, turning round to the
others. "You must know, good people, that I've been hearing of nothing
but this yacht for the last two years; and, would you believe it, I've
never seen her yet!"

"I assure you--," began the Captain; but, alas! his enemy, in addition
to being a host in herself, had allies of whom he little dreamt; and so
he was interrupted ere he could get at a second stammering "I assure
you!"

"Why, you promised, Captain," said Nell mischievously, "the very first
time we saw you in the train, to take us out for a `sail in your yacht';
and I have been longing so much for it ever since. We thought that was
what you meant when you said you were going to take us somewhere or do
something that `to-morrow come never' as you called it!"

"You wicked man, to deceive the poor children so!" cried

Mrs Gilmour, shaking her finger at him. "Oh, you bad man!"

But, before he could answer a word, Bob, who had been waiting anxiously
for an opening, likewise assailed him.

"Ah! Don't you remember, Captain, that day when you took Dick down to
the Dockyard to get him entered as a sailor boy on board the _Saint
Vincent_, and they wouldn't take him because he was too thin, you said
it didn't matter, for you would employ him on board your yacht when the
racing season began? Why, Dick and I have been looking out for a sail
ever since. Don't you remember?"

"Now, aren't you ashamed of yourself, sure?" said Mrs Gilmour,
following up Bob's flank attack; his father and mother enjoying the
discussion immensely, coupled as it was with the old sailor's comic