of parchment, or something more tough, and there were evident indications, throughout the whole man, that marked him as a stern and unflinching performer of his peculiar range of duties. His companion was the captain of another ship, owned by the individual with whom the former had just held the short interview, already described.
"Well, he is the strangest man," said the second, "that ever crossed my bows. Not one word of inquiry after the health of the crews, or how they are fed and treated, but down he must go himself to the ship, and in and through every place about he dives; and, though he does not seem to notice any thing, I am sure nothing escapes him. He is close-fisted, but, I will say, just; and if there is wrong anywhere, he will correct it if he can, and with his own property he generally can and does. But you promised to tell me about that affair of your last cruise. Go on with your yarn, and let's have another glass of whisky hot."
When the whisky was brought in, the sea-captain lit a segar, and between his smoking and his sipping, told a story in effect like this:
"We had as good a ship as ever floated on the sea, and we had as good a cargo as ever was borne over the sea by a ship. Part of the cargo was a large supply of flour, about which I had particular directions. I was to deliver it to a certain house at Greenock, and I was to tell the head partner of the house that this flour was not for sale; that was all I knew about it, though I think now, as I thought then, it was intended to be distributed among the suffering poor of some district of the Highlands. He has never said a word to me about the cargo.
"Well, we sailed out of Quebec, and had fair winds for three days, when, all at once, the sky lowered down with heavy clouds, and every thing seemed to indicate an approaching and a severe blow: and it did come, and for two days we bore up against it, though almost every hour found us in a worse condition to fight out the next.
"I had several passengers with me, and among them was the son of the owner. He was a tall, handsome youth, nothing in him like his father, except some slight resemblance of manner. I loved the boy, and the boy loved me, and every body seemed to take to him. He mixed freely among the men; most of them he had known a long
