ess, but the secret was only
divulged to the two who were directly interested, and then the jovial
gathering formed themselves into a ring, sang "Auld lang syne," and
added "Will they no come back again?" which was specially intended to
apply to the sailors. These formalities having been completed, the
young mariners proceeded to say their farewells, and kissed and cuddled
with astonishing rapidity first one girl and then the others until all
had shared the ebullition of their rugged endearment. The male portion
of the assembly viewed this form of emphasizing good-bye with sheepish
amazement. They would have been stupefied with shame if any one had
seen them walking even with a girl, although the enterprising seafarers
had done their best to assure them that it was the only true style of
showing genuine goodwill.

Long before dawn the following morning the lads were tramping over a
wild expanse of common towards a seaport, and they carried on their
shoulders as fine a kit as ever went into a vessel's forecastle. All
the things that had happened during their stay, especially the
incidents of the last night, were talked of amongst the villagers for
many a long day after the sailors had left the district and travelled
to the southern hemisphere. Yes, and many an eloquent petition was sent
up from the familiar cottage homes that knew them so well for their
safe-keeping and speedy return. This phase of sailor life existed in
the country places, and to some extent in the smaller seaport towns
bordering on the country, in the middle of the last century. It is
always pleasant to think of the innocent, robust enjoyment these better
class seamen planned out for themselves, aided of course by their rural
friends. They were sought after and loved by everybody. What balderdash
has been spoken and written about poor Jack everlastingly misconducting
himself! Assuredly the Christian virtues did not take complete hold of
all of them, and no one will deny that a large percentage were wayward
and took a lot of steering. But compare them with other classes of men,
and I do not think they would take a second place.

Norman and Kenneth Burnside worked, saved, and studied very hard, and
rapidly rose in their profession. They had no sooner got their extra
master's certificates than they were offered and accepted the command
of handsome square-rigged vessels employed in the Eastern trade, and
both of them became famous for making quick passage