heese-cutter in salute, and with a
smile of welcome on his genial face; "though it's lucky, bedad, ye
didn't come afore, Misther Mackay, or faix ye'd have bin in toime to be
too soon."

"How's that, Rooney?" inquired the other with a pleasant laugh, showing
his nice white teeth. "Instead of being too early, I'm afraid I am a
little late."

"The divil a bit, sorr," replied Rooney. "We've only jist this viry
minnit struck down the last av the cargo; an' if ye'd come afore, why,
it's ruckshions there'd a bin about our skulkin', I know."

"No, no," laughingly said the young officer; who, I suppose, was older
than he looked, for Tim Rooney told me in a loud whisper while he was
speaking that he was the "foorst mate" of the ship. "I'm not half such
a growler as you are, bosun; but, all the same, I'm glad you've got the
job done. Who's been looking after the dock mateys below, seeing to the
stowage?"

"Misther Saunders, sorr," promptly answered Rooney. Adding aside for my
enlightenment as to who this worthy might be: "The `sicond mate,' sure,
mavourneen."

"Ah, then we need have no fears about its being well done," rejoined Mr
Mackay, or the first mate, as I'd better call him. "Who is our friend
here alongside of you, bosun? I don't recollect having the pleasure of
seeing him before. Another youngster from Leadenhall Street--eh?"

He looked at me inquiringly as he asked the question.

"Yes, sorr. He's Misther Gray-ham, sorr; jist come down to jine the
Silver Quane, sorr, as foorst-class apprentice," replied the boatswain
with a sly wink to the other, which I was quick enough to catch. Adding
in a stage whisper, which I also could not help overhearing: "An' it's
foorst-class he is entoirely--a raal broth av a bhoy, sure."

"Indeed," said Mr Mackay, smiling at the Irishman's irony at my
expense, in return no doubt for my whimsical assumption of dignity when
telling him who I was. "I suppose he's come to fill the place of young
Rawlings, who, you may remember, cut and run from us at Singapore on our
last voyage out?"

"I s'pose so, sorr," rejoined Tim laconically.

"I'm very happy, I am sure, to see you on board and make your
acquaintance," said the pleasant-faced young officer, turning to me in a
nice cordial way that increased the liking I had already taken to him at
first sight. "Have you got your traps with you all right, Mr Graham?"

"My father sent on my sea-chest containing all my clothes and thing