and the table would allow. The ceremony of introduction then
commenced, by the Captain rising to his legs, and stretching out his
red, right hand with an air of dignity, "Mrs. Lyndsay, cabin passenger
in the brig _Anne_--Mrs. Williams, my wife, Ma'am,--Mrs. Collins, Mrs.
Lyndsay,--my wife's sister-in-law,--Miss Nancy and Betsy Collins, Mrs.
Lyndsay,--Mr. Collins, my first mate, and brother to Mrs. Williams, Mrs.
Lyndsay."

Then came the shaking of hands. Lyndsay, who observed the embarrassment
of the family party assembled in the cabin, received them with a frank
courtesy, which soon restored confidence, and set them at their ease;
though it was difficult to refrain from a smile at the scared look they
cast at each other when Mrs. Lyndsay took her seat among them; and the
dead silence which fell upon them, and checked the lively chattering
that a few minutes before had rung through the cabin.

Tea and coffee were smoking upon the table, which was covered with all
sorts of dainties, which the captain's wife had brought in a basket to
make merry with, and which she proffered to the strangers with true
Scotch hospitality, assuring them that the rich bun and short-bread had
been made with her _ain_ hands, as a little treat for Jock before
leaving the country.

"Meg forgets that I'm a rough English sailor, and don't care a fig for
her Scotch sunkets," quoth Boreas, speaking with his mouth full of short
bread. "A good red herring and a slice of Gloster cheese is worth them
all. But wilful women will have their own way, and I must eat the
mawkish trash to please her."

"An' find it varra gude, Jock, an' I'm no mistaken," said the buxom
fair-haired woman, tapping his rough cheek. "It wad be something new for
him to praise onything made by his ain wife."

And then she rattled away about the inconstancy of men, and of sailors
especially, in such a droll, provoking manner, that she forced her rude
lord to lay aside his dignity and laugh at her nonsense. She was a
comely, sonsy dame, neither very young, nor very pretty; but he was her
senior by many years, and he bore her raillery with the same grace that
a staid old cat submits to the impertinent caresses and cuffs of a
frolicsome kitten. When he growled and swore, she clapped her hands and
laughed, and called him her dear old sea-bear, and hoped that he would
not die of grief during her absence.

"Never fear, Meg, I don't mean to give you the chance of tormenting
another f