an unlooked-for and tempting proposal. The boatman was lazily
lying on his oars, secure in self-righteousness and the conscious
possession of the only available boat to shore; on the other hand, the
smart gig of the consul, with its four oars, was not only a providential
escape from a difficulty, but even to some extent a quasi-official
endorsement of his contention. Yet he hesitated.

"It'll be costin' ye no more?" he said interrogatively, glancing at the
consul's boat crew, "or ye'll be askin' me a fair proportion."

"It will be the gentleman's own boat," said the girl, with a certain shy
assurance, "and he'll be paying his boatmen by the day."

The consul hastened to explain that their passage would involve no
additional expense to anybody, and added, tactfully, that he was glad to
enable them to oppose extortion.

"Ay, but it's a preencipel," said the father proudly, "and I'm pleased,
sir, to see ye recognize it."

He proceeded to help his daughter into the boat without any further
leave-taking of the passenger, to the consul's great surprise, and with
only a parting nod from the young girl. It was as if this momentous
incident were a sufficient reason for the absence of any further trivial
sentiment.

Unfortunately the father chose to add an exordium for the benefit of the
astonished boatsman still lying on his oars.

"Let this be a lesson to ye, ma frien', when ye're ower sure! Ye'll
ne'er say a herrin' is dry until it be reestit an' reekit."

"Ay," said the boatman, with a lazy, significant glance at the consul,
"it wull be a lesson to me not to trust to a lassie's GANGIN' jo, when
thair's anither yin comin'."

"Give way," said the consul sharply.

Yet his was the only irritated face in the boat as the men bent over
their oars. The young girl and her father looked placidly at the
receding ship, and waved their hands to the grave, resigned face over
the taffrail. The consul examined them more attentively. The father's
face showed intelligence and a certain probity in its otherwise
commonplace features. The young girl had more distinction, with,
perhaps, more delicacy of outline than of texture. Her hair was dark,
with a burnished copper tint at its roots, and eyes that had the same
burnished metallic lustre in their brown pupils. Both sat respectfully
erect, as if anxious to record the fact that the boat was not their
own to take their ease in; and both were silently reserved, answering
briefly to the