er bore the marks of having been
soiled with seaweed. It was unsigned. The writer had evidently been
obliged to close it hastily.

After reading this in silence the captain refolded the letter.

"No wonder, Minnie, that Swankie did not dare to offer such things for
sale. He would certainly have been found out. Wasn't it lucky that we
heard him tell Spink the spot under his floor where he had hidden them?"

At that moment there came a low knock to the door. Minnie opened it,
and admitted Davy Spink, who stood in the middle of the room twitching
his cap nervously, and glancing uneasily from one to another of the
party.

"Hallo, Spink!" cried the captain, pushing his spectacles up on his
forehead, and gazing at the fisherman in surprise, "you don't seem to be
quite easy in your mind. Hope your fortunes have not sprung a leak!"

"Weel, Captain Ogilvy, they just have; gone to the bottom, I might
a'most say. I've come to tell ye--that--the fact is, that the
press-gang have catched us at last, and ta'en awa' my mate, Jock
Swankie, better kenn'd as Big Swankie."

"Hem--well, my lad, in so far as that does damage to you, I'm sorry for
it; but as regards society at large, I rather think that Swankie havin'
tripped his anchor is a decided advantage. If you lose by this in one
way, you gain much in another; for your mate's companionship did ye no
good. Birds of a feather should flock together. You're better apart,
for I believe you to be an honest man, Spink."

Davy looked at the captain in unfeigned astonishment.

"Weel, ye're the first man that iver said that, an' I thank 'ee, sir,
but you're wrang, though I wush ye was right. But that's no' what I
cam' to tell ye."

Here the fisherman's indecision of manner returned.

"Come, make a clean breast of it, lad. There are none here but
friends."

"Weel, sir, Ruby Brand--"

He paused, and Minnie turned deadly pale, for she jumped at once to the
right conclusion. The widow, on the other hand, listened for more with
deep anxiety, but did not guess the truth.

"The fact is, Ruby's catched too, an' he's awa' to the wars, and he sent
me to--ech, sirs! the auld wuman's fentit."

Poor Widow Brand had indeed fallen back in her chair in a state
bordering on insensibility. Minnie was able to restrain her feelings so
as to attend to her. She and the captain raised her gently, and led her
into her own room, from whence the captain returned, and shut the door
behind