"Ah!" rejoined Captain Dinks, "that may be when you're ashore, Tim, but
I know what you are when you're aboard ship and duty calls! I don't
forget, old man, how, under Providence," and this the captain added
reverently, taking off his cap and looking up to heaven as he spoke,
"you saved the _Nancy Bell_ on our last voyage home--no, Tim, I don't
forget!"

"Aye, aye, Cap'en Dinks," replied the other, not to be beaten, "true for
you, sorr; but, where was yoursilf the whilst, I'd like to know, and
what could I have done without your hilp sure, wid all your
blatheration?"

"Nonsense, Tim," returned the captain, giving the mate a slap on the
back which must have taken his breath away for the moment, as it made
him reel again, and then holding out his hand, which the other grasped
with a vice-like grip, in a paw that resembled more in size and shape a
leg of mutton than anything else--"Tip us your fist, my hearty, and let
us say no more about it!"

It would have done anyone's heart good to see the way in which these two
brave men--sailors both every inch of them--then looked each other
straight in the eyes, a smile of satisfaction illumining their faces, as
if each had reason to be proud of the other, their hands locked in a
friendly clasp that was true to the death!

As for Mr Meldrum, the passenger, who was a delighted observer of the
good feeling existing between the captain and second in command of the
vessel in which, like Caesar, he had "embarked himself and all his
fortunes," and was now journeying across the surface of the deep--a good
feeling that was fairly indicative of everything going well on the
voyage--he was so carried away by the spirit of the moment that he felt
inclined to ask that the general hand-shaking might be "passed round for
the good of the crowd." What is more, he immediately put his "happy
thought" into execution; whereupon, much fist-squeezing ensued between
the trio, the steersman looking on with a grin of complacency at the
fraternal exhibition, and gripping the spokes of the wheel more firmly,
as it were, out of a sort of fellow-sympathy, as he kept the ship "full
and by!"

"Tim McCarthy and I are old shipmates," said Captain Dinks presently, as
if apologising for the little ebullition of sentiment that had just
taken place, "and we've seen some rough times together."

"Pray don't mention it," said Mr Meldrum; "your friendly feelings do
you both honour! But, how are we getting on, ca