which made the
enterprise more dangerous, and gave us rather more of a view of her
stockings than would be thought genteel in cities. There was no minute
lost, and scarce time given for any to interfere, if they had wished the
same. I stood up on the other side and spread my arms; the ship swung
down on us, the patroon humoured his boat nearer in than was perhaps
wholly safe, and Catriona leaped into the air. I was so happy as to
catch her, and the fishers readily supporting us, escaped a fall. She
held to me a moment very tight, breathing quick and deep; thence (she
still clinging to me with both hands) we were passed aft to our places
by the steersman; and, Captain Sang and all the crew and passengers
cheering and crying farewell, the boat was put about for shore.

As soon as Catriona came a little to herself she unhanded me suddenly,
but said no word. No more did I; and indeed the whistling of the wind
and the breaching of the sprays made it no time for speech; and our crew
not only toiled excessively but made extremely little way, so that the
_Rose_ had got her anchor and was off again before we had approached the
harbour mouth.

We were no sooner in smooth water than the patroon, according to their
beastly Hollands custom, stopped his boat and required of us our fares.
Two guilders was the man's demand--between three and four shillings
English money--for each passenger. But at this Catriona began to cry out
with a vast deal of agitation. She had asked of Captain Sang, she said,
and the fare was but an English shilling. "Do you think I will have come
on board and not ask first?" cries she. The patroon scolded back upon
her in a lingo where the oaths were English and the rest right Hollands;
till at last (seeing her near tears) I privately slipped in the rogue's
hand six shillings, whereupon he was obliging enough to receive from her
the other shilling without more complaint. No doubt I was a good deal
nettled and ashamed. I like to see folk thrifty, but not with so much
passion; and I daresay it would be rather coldly that I asked her, as
the boat moved on again for shore, where it was that she was trysted
with her father.

"He is to be inquired of at the house of one Sprott, an honest Scots
merchant," says she; and then with the same breath, "I am wishing to
thank you very much--you are a brave friend to me."

"It will be time enough when I get you to your father," said I, little
thinking that I spoke so true.