ing by the cottage of an old fisherman and knocking
for admittance.

It took all Blair's powers of persuasion to induce Jock to have any
thing to do with what he called a "furriner." The case seemed well-nigh
lost, when Blair mounted on a chair, and made a small speech in his best
style for the benefit of his single auditor. Whether won over by its
logic or through a sense of the honor thus conferred upon him, Jock
agreed to Blair's proposition.

"The first speech I ever made to any purpose," thought Blair, as he
walked rapidly along the shore, wending his way to Mrs. McKinstry's
dwelling.

Hal had locked himself into his "castle," as the only way in which he
could escape the merciless scolding of his voluble hostess. She seemed
to consider every stain on the injured garments a blot on the shield of
the English boy which no apologies could excuse or efface. Hal fairly
fled before the enemy; and once safe in his own room, whistled so
lustily as to drown all sound of the railing from without.

It was an unusually busy day with Mrs. McKinstry, or it is doubtful
whether she would have allowed even this close to the skirmish, for she
had a taste for such encounters. Blair however heard the dripping and
swashing of water in the rear of the house as he went up the narrow
stairway. The wide cap-border of Mrs. McKinstry was fanning backwards
and forwards, as she bent with a regular motion over the tub in which
her red arms were immersed. She gave one look at Blair as he went up to
her lodger's room, but did not condescend even to exchange watchwords
with him.

In answer to Blair's knock was returned a resolute "Who's there?"

The reply set Hal's mind at ease, and the visitor was promptly admitted.
Blair stated his business at once, but to his surprise he met with a
blank refusal from Hal. He would not fall in with such a plan, not he.
He would keep out of the water while there was any land left to stand
on. He had had enough of plumping to the bottom, and coming up, ears
singing, throat choking, and soul almost scared out of him. Better a
crumb of bread and a morsel of cheese, than fatness and plenty earned in
such a way.

It was hard for Blair to understand the nervous fear of drowning which
had taken possession of poor Hal. Fairport boys could swim almost as
soon as they could walk. They knew nothing of the helpless feeling of
one who has the great deep under him, and is powerless to struggle in
its waves.

But a fe