I exclaimed, aghast at the old gentleman turning
round so completely from the statement he had made when we first entered
into conversation. "I thought you said just now that all icebergs were
a dull white without any other colour, save a streak of blue sometimes
running through them like a vein; and yet, here you are painting them in
all the varied tints of the rainbow!"

He was not a bit put out, however, by this accusation of inconsistency.

"This was how they looked at sunrise, which, like a brilliant sunset, as
you know, makes a very great difference in the appearance of objects,
causing even the most common things to look brilliant, and dignifying
the common so as to make it look sublime! But, with your permission,"
added the old gentleman courteously, "I will finish my story of the
brig's escape.

"After we passed all the ice, the wind came round, as the captain said
it would, right favourable for our course; and the _Cranky Jane_ behaved
like a good one. We made all our easting on one tack, and passed the
Cape still a good distance to the south, but in as good a latitude as we
could have passed it in for the weather we had, which was first-rate.

"And when we began to mount northwards again, towards the little island
which we all prize so much, although it is but a little spot on the map
of Europe, why, the wind changed too, still almost due aft as the dear
old _Cranky Jane_ liked, much to the delight and joy of everybody on
board, especially the skipper, who exclaimed, as he rubbed his hands
together in joy, and walked up and down the poop,--`Bless the darling,
she's a walker! And I wouldn't swop her for the best clipper in the
China trade!'

"We had a good land-fall all right, entering the Channel shortly after
sighting the Lizard, making the quickest passage ever known for a
sailing brig from Fiji; and, in spite of all the dear old craft's
shortcomings and temper and weather-helm, myself and the rest of the
crew, including of course Pat O'Brien and his `poor feet,' were willing,
even after all the perils we had passed through, and the dangers we had
escaped, every mother's son of us, with Captain Jiggins' permission, and
the chief officer's favour, to sign articles, and ship for another
voyage in the old _Cranky Jane_; and, what is more, we did too, sticking
to the brig till she went to pieces off Cape Lewis to the south of New
Zealand in her last voyage out. That's all!"

So saying, the old gentl