name of
Shupay, a worrud that in their spache manes the divil--savin' yer
prisence, Mishter Wilkinson."

"One time the _Susan Thomas_ was at Belle Ewart loadin' on lumber,"
growled the Captain. "Sylvanus heerd as how the Mushrats, that's the
folks acrost on t'other side of the bay, was a comin' over to fasten him
and me down in the hold and paint the schooner. They was a goin' to
paint her The Spotted Dog, than which there's no meaner kind o' fish.
So, I bid Sylvanus pile a great heap of useless, green, heavy, barky
slabs on top o' the good lumber; then we took the occasion of a little
wind, and stood her out to anchor a little ways from the dock. Sure
enough, when night come, the Mushrats came a hollerin' aand yellin'.
Unfortnitly I'd left the salutin' blunderbuss here at home, and hadn't
but one pike-pole aboard. 'How many boat loads of 'em is there,
Sylvanus?' I says. 'Two,' says he. 'All right,' says I, 'that's one
apiece. Take off your coat, and roll up your shirt sleeves, Sylvanus,'
says I, 'for you're a goin' to have heavy work slab heavin'!' On they
come to board us, one on each side. 'Fire out them or'nary useless
slabs, Sylvanus,' says I. 'But there's a boat with a lot of men in it,'
says he, a-chucklin' like an ijut. Hope I haven't given the pass word
away, John? Well, I said: 'Fire out the slabs, and let the men get out
o' the way.' And he began firing, and I kept my side a-goin', and the
slabs fell flat and heavy and fast, knockin' six at a shot, till they
cussed and swore, and hollered and yelled murder, and that was the last
we two saw of the Mushrats and the paintin' of the _Susan Thomas_."

Subdued but hearty laughter followed these stories, and, when the
Captain ended, the veteran pushed the decanter towards him, remarking:
"A good shtory is a foine thing, Captin, dear, but it makes ye just a
throifle dhroy." The Captain responded, and told Mr. Terry that he was
neglecting himself, an omission which that gentleman proceeded to
rectify. Mr. Errol, with his muffling cloud still round his neck, was
asleep in an easy chair. In his sleep he dreamt, the dream ending in an
audible smack of his lips, and the exclamation "Very many thanks, ma'am;
the toddy's warm and comforting." When his own voice aroused him, he was
astonished to witness the extreme mirth of all parties, and was hardly
convinced when it was attributed to the stories of the veteran and the
Captain. The Squire, though amused, was resolved to h