oubtable Joe, seeing
from the captain's manner that his peace was made, and that nothing
dreadful was going to be done to him, as he had feared from all that Tim
Rooney and the hands forward had told him of Old Jock's temper--although
he did not understand half what the captain said--"Oi'll wark, measter."

"There, that will do," said Captain Gillespie interrupting him ere he
could proceed any further with his protestations of gratitude; "the
proof of the pudding lies in the eating, and I'll soon see what you're
made of. Bosun, take him forrud and rig him out as well as you can.
I'll send you an old shirt and trousers by the steward."

"Aye, aye, sorr," answered Tim obediently, pleased at "the ould skipper
behavin' so handsomely," as he afterwards said; "an' I'll give him an
ould pair av brogues av me own."

"You can do as you like about that," said Captain Gillespie, turning on
his heel and calling the watch to tauten the lee-braces a bit, telling
the men at the wheel at the same time to "luff" more; "but, you'd better
let the chap have a good lie-in to-night and put him in the port watch
to-morrow so that Mr Mackay can look after him."

"Aye, aye, sorr," replied Tim, leading his charge down the poop ladder
again. "I'll say to that same, sorr."

"And, bosun--"

"Aye, aye, sorr."

"Just see if those pigs in the long-boat got damaged by that fellow
tumbling on top of them. His weight ought to have been enough to have
made pork of some, I should think!"

"Aye, aye, sorr," said Tim as he went off laughing; and I could hear his
whispered aside to Adams, who was standing by the deck-house. "Begorra,
I'd have betted the ould skipper wouldn't forgit thim blissid pigs av
his. He wor thinkin' av thim all the toime that poor beggar wor fallin'
from aloft, I belave!"

Much to the captain's satisfaction, though, the grunting inhabitants of
the long-boat were found to be all right, escaping as harmlessly as Joe
Fergusson; and so, with his mind relieved Old Jock went below soon after
"six bells," or two o'clock, leaving the charge of the deck to Mr
Saunders--who, grumbling at the captain's rather insidious usurpation of
his authority, had betaken himself to the lee-side of the taffrail,
whence he watched the ship's wake and the foaming rollers that came
tumbling after her, as she drove on before the stiff nor'-wester under
reefed topsails and courses, the waves trying to poop her every instant,
though foiled by her sp