selves, of
a look into the shop windows, with the understanding that they were to
accept the hospitality of the Turnbull mansion until the time for
sailing should arrive on the morrow.

Bob wished very much to visit one of the theatres that evening--a
theatre being a place of entertainment which up to that time he had
never had an opportunity of entering; but old Bill, anxious to
cultivate, on Bob's behalf, the goodwill of the _Betsy Jane's_
commander, thought it would be wiser to spend the evening with that
worthy. This arrangement was accordingly carried out, the "best
parlour" being thrown open by Mrs Turnbull for the occasion. Miss
Turnbull and Miss Jemima Turnbull contributed in turn their share toward
the evening's entertainment by singing "Hearts of Oak," "The Bay of
Biscay," "Then farewell my trim-built wherry," and other songs of a
similar character, to a somewhat uncertain accompaniment upon a
discordant jangling old piano--the chief merit of which was that a large
proportion of its notes were dumb. Their gallant father meanwhile
sipped his grog and puffed away at his "church-warden" in a high-backed
uncomfortable-looking chair in a corner near the fire, utterly sunk,
apparently, in a fit of the most profound abstraction, from which he
would occasionally start without the slightest warning, and in a most
alarming manner, to bellow out--generally at the wrong time and to the
wrong tune--something which his guests were expected to regard as a
chorus. The chorus ended he would again sink, like a stone, as abruptly
back into his inner consciousness as he had emerged from it. So passed
the evening, without the slightest pretence at conversation, though both
Bill and Bob made several determined efforts to start a topic; and so,
as music, even of the kind performed by the Misses Turnbull, palls after
a time, about eleven p.m. old Bill hinted at fatigue from the unusual
exertions of the day, proposed retirement, and, with Bob, was shown to
the room wherein was located the "shakedown" offered them by the
hospitable skipper. The "shakedown" proved to be in reality two fair-
sized beds, which would have been very comfortable had they been much
cleaner than they were, and our two friends enjoyed a very fair night's
rest.

Bob duly signed articles on the following morning, and then, in company
with his shipmates, proceeded on board the _Betsy Jane_. Captain
Turnbull put in an appearance about an hour afterwards, w