Before noon, the Captain and the Muckleroys had forty noble fish lying
upon the deck. Thirty of these, the Captain had caught with his own
hand.

"This is a fine sight," he said. "We have reason to thank God for this
great mercy, in spite of all yon sour-faced sulky fellow may say to the
contrary. He may satisfy his stomach with beef and biscuit--not a morsel
of this fresh fish shall rejoice the cockles of his heart."

"Not so, Captain," said Flora. "Let us test the sincerity of his
profession by sending him one of these fish as his share of the spoil,
and see whether his practice is equal to his professions of superior
sanctity."

"Faith, you are right! But he will never be such a d----d hypocrite as
to accept it!"

"Try him."

"What shall I bet that he will send it back, with a long sermon tacked
to its tail?"

"Don't bet; you would be sure to lose; that is, if I judge that man's
physiognomy rightly. There is nothing good or benevolent in his face;
and the face, after all, is the map of the mind."

"Well, I'll send it, just to please you. Here, Sam Fraser, take this
fish to Mr. S----, with my compliments."

Sam went, and returned with a comic smile on his face.

"Well, Sam, did he condescend to take the wages of our iniquity?"

"Ay, Sir, and returns you his _best_ thanks. He has given Geordie
Muckleroy a shilling to clean the fish for him, though it is Sunday. I
think if you watch the stove, he will be cooking it himself before
long."

"The devil he will! Mrs. Lyndsay, you are a witch. I could have taken my
oath that he would not have touched it with a pair of tongs."

"Captain, you know little of human nature."

"But the fellow is so religious."

"So fanatical, you should say. That man never felt the sweet influences
of Christianity. He deals in words--not deeds. See, here he comes! with
a piece of the fresh fish to broil for his dinner. Let us go down into
the cabin; the sight of us might chance to spoil his appetite."[C]

[C] A fact.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE STORM.

For several days after the fishing adventure, Flora was confined to her
berth with severe indisposition, and was, indeed, so alarmingly ill,
that at one time she thought that she would be consigned to the deep, as
food for the fishes, on the great banks of Newfoundland. She loathed the
bad water and food, and became so much reduced by sickness, that poor
little Josey had to be weaned.

It was a great blessing that the young,