nd then I am to meet with this same laird whom I have the letter for?'
continued Fairford.

'That,' said Ewart, 'is thereafter as it may be; the ship has its
course--the fair trader has his port--but it is not easy to say where
the laird may be found. But he will be within twenty miles of us, off or
on--and it will be my business to guide you to him.'

Fairford could not withstand the passing impulse of terror which crossed
him, when thus reminded that he was so absolutely in the power of a man,
who, by his own account, had been a pirate, and who was at present, in
all probability, an outlaw as well as a contraband trader. Nanty Ewart
guessed the cause of his involuntary shuddering.

'What the devil should I gain,' he said, 'by passing so poor a card as
you are? Have I not had ace of trumps in my hand, and did I not play it
fairly? Aye, I say the JUMPING JENNY can run in other ware as well as
kegs. Put SIGMA and TAU to Ewart, and see how that will spell--D'ye take
me now?'

'No indeed,' said Fairford; 'I am utterly ignorant of what you allude
to.'

'Now, by Jove!' said Nanty Ewart, 'thou art either the deepest or the
shallowest fellow I ever met with--or you are not right after all. I
wonder where Summertrees could pick up such a tender along-shore. Will
you let me see his letter?'

Fairford did not hesitate to gratify his wish, which, he was aware, he
could not easily resist. The master of the JUMPING JENNY looked at
the direction very attentively, then turned the letter to and fro, and
examined each flourish of the pen, as if he were judging of a piece
of ornamented manuscript; then handled it back to Fairford, without a
single word of remark.

'Am I right now?' said the young lawyer.

'Why, for that matter,' answered Nanty, 'the letter is right, sure
enough; but whether you are right or not, is your own business rather
than mine.' And, striking upon a flint with the back of a knife, he
kindled a cigar as thick as his finger, and began to smoke away with
great perseverance.

Alan Fairford continued to regard him with a melancholy feeling, divided
betwixt the interest he took in the unhappy man, and a not unnatural
apprehension for the issue of his own adventure.

Ewart, notwithstanding the stupefying nature of his pastime, seemed
to guess what was working in his passenger's mind; for, after they had
remained some time engaged in silently observing each other, he suddenly
dashed his cigar on the deck, and