comfortable.

At the Cove the whole party was accommodated in a single-roomed hut,
which chanced to be empty at the time. Here the hospitable fishermen
spread nets for bedding, and with plaids made up for the lack of
blankets. They also kindled a large peat fire, and put on a pot of
potatoes, and some splendid sea-trout, while Mrs Anderson prepared
oat-cakes at her own fire, and sent them in as required.

"Noo, shentlemen, ye'll tak a tram?" said Ian, producing a black bottle.

Immeasurable was the astonishment of the Highlander when the gentlemen
refused a dram.

"But--but, ye'll catch yer death o' cauld, if ye don't!" he said,
remonstratively, as he stood bottle and glass in hand.

"Thanks, friend," replied Jackman, "but we have taken in so much salt
water during our swim to land that we are not sure whether the whisky
would agree with it."

"Hoots! havers!" exclaimed Ian, pouring out some of the liquid; "ye're
jokin'."

"In truth we are not, then," said Mabberly; "for we are all total
abstainers."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Ian, who could not understand the principles or
feelings of men who, after a long exhausting swim in their clothes, were
capable of refusing whisky! For it is to be remembered that, although
the time we write of is comparatively recent, that remote island had not
been visited by any apostle of temperance or total abstinence in regard
to alcohol. Of course Ian had heard something of such principles, but
he did not believe in them, and certainly did not practise them.
"Hooiver, shentlemen," he added, "if ye wunna tak it--here's wushin'
your fery coot health!"

Raising the glass, he drained it without winking, as if the contents had
been water, smacked his lips and put the bottle away.

It must not be supposed that all the crew of the late unfortunate
_Fairy_ witnessed this proceeding unmoved, for, although they had all
been engaged on the understanding that no strong drink was to be allowed
or consumed while the voyage lasted, not one of them was a pledged
abstainer, and now that the voyage was ended it did seem as if the laws
of the voyage should no longer be binding. Still there remained a
feeling that, as long as they continued a united party, the spirit of
the agreement should not be broken; therefore the skipper and "Shames"
let the bottle pass with a sigh, and Quin followed suit with an
undertoned remark to Tips that, "he wouldn't have belaved tim'tation to
be so strong av he had