of smoke from his lips, and followed it up
with--"Fire away, shipmet."

The lieutenant, having drawn a few whiffs in order to ensure the
continued combustion of his pipe, related the following anecdote, which
is now matter of history, as anyone may find by consulting the archives
of Arbroath.

"In the year 1781, on a fine evening of the month of May, the seamen of
Arbroath who chanced to be loitering about the harbour observed a
strange vessel manoeuvring in the offing. They watched and commented on
the motions of the stranger with considerable interest, for the wary
skill displayed by her commander proved that he was unacquainted with
the navigation of the coast, and from the cut of her jib they knew that
the craft was a foreigner. After a time she took up a position, and
cast anchor in the bay, directly opposite the town.

"At that time we were, as we still are, and as it really appears likely
to me we ever shall be, at war with France; but as the scene of the war
was far removed from Arbroath, it never occurred to the good people that
the smell of powder could reach their peaceful town. That idea was
somewhat rudely forced upon them when the French flag was run up to the
mizzentop, and a white puff of smoke burst from the vessel, which was
followed by a shot, that went hissing over their heads, and plumped
right into the middle of the town!

"That shot knocked over fifteen chimney-pots and two weathercocks in
Market-gate, went slap through a house in the suburbs, and finally stuck
in the carcass of an old horse belonging to the Provost of the town,
which didn't survive the shock--the horse, I mean, not the Provost.

"It is said that there was an old gentleman lying in bed in a room of
the house that the shot went through. He was a sort of `hipped'
character, and believed that he could not walk, if he were to try ever
so much. He was looking quietly at the face of a great Dutch clock when
the shot entered and knocked the clock inside out, sending its contents
in a shower over the old gentleman, who jumped up and rushed out of the
house like a maniac! He was cured completely from that hour. At least,
so it's said, but I don't vouch for the truth of the story.

"However, certain it is that the shot was fired, and was followed up by
two or three more; after which the Frenchman ceased firing, and a boat
was seen to quit the side of the craft, bearing a flag of truce.

"The consternation into which the town