ite little hand for one moment as tenderly as if he
were afraid his own iron muscles might injure it.

"I see," said he, with a smile, "that I must submit to be misrepresented
until Guy himself comes to defend me."

Amy glanced at Lucy and blushed. Lucy glanced at Amy and looked
confused; then the whole party laughed, and Bluenose said that for his
part he didn't see no savin' o' life one way or other, 'xcepting as
regarded the lifeboat, which he wos bound for to say had saved the whole
lot of 'em, and that was all about it; whereupon they all sat down to
supper, and the missionary asked a blessing; thanking God for their
recent deliverance, and praying in a few earnest words for continued
favour.

Bluenose was a man of peculiar and decided character. He did not at all
relish his position in the drawing-room when he thought of his sister
Mrs Laker supping in the kitchen. Being an impulsive man, he seized
his cap, and said abruptly to his hostess:

"I'll tell 'ee wot it is, marm, I aint used to this 'ere sort o' thing.
If you'll excudge me, marm, I'll go an' 'ave my snack with Bess i' the
kitchen. Bax, there, he's a sort o' gen'leman by natur' as well as
hedication; but as for me I'm free to say as I prefers the fo'gs'l to
the cabin--no offence meant. Come along, Tommy, and bring yer pannikin
along with 'ee, lad, you're like a fish out o' water too."

So saying, Captain Bluenose bowed to the company with what he meant to
be an affable and apologetic air, and quitted the room without waiting
for a reply.

"Ah, Bluenose," said Mrs Laker, as her brother entered, cap in hand,
and seated himself among the men of the "Nancy," who were doing full
justice to Mrs Foster's hospitality, "I thought ye wouldn't be long in
the parlour, for you aint bin used to 'igh life, an' w'y should you? as
was born of poor but respectible parients, not but that the parients of
the rich may be respectible also, I don't go for to impinge no one, sit
down, Tommy, my dear child, only think! ee's bin 'alf drownded, an' 'is
mother dead only two year next Whitsuntide; sit down, Tommy, wot'll ye
'ave?"

Tommy said he would have a bit of beef-steak pie;--got it, and set to
work immediately.

It may be as well to state here that Mrs Laker was not a married woman,
but, having reached a certain age, she deemed it advisable, in order to
maintain the dignity of her character and personal appearance (which
latter was stout and matronly) to dub her