ma'am, I wouldn't let you or the chickabiddies go in her for
worlds!"

"You're quite sure, Captain?"

"Faith, I'll take my `davy,' ma'am, she's as staunch and sound as the
old _Bucephalus_."

"Say no more, Captain," said Mrs Gilmour. "If she's as safe as my poor
Ted's ship, she must be safe indeed, I know."

"She is that, I believe, ma'am, on my honour."

"All right then, Captain," replied Mrs Gilmour to this. "We'll
consider the trip arranged, then, for to-morrow, eh?"

"Very good, ma'am, there's my hand on it," cried the Captain, rising to
take his leave. "I must say `good-night' now; for, it's getting late,
and I ought to turn in early if you expect me to turn out to-morrow.
Good-night, Miss Nell; good-night, Bob; come along, Dick!"

With which parting words, away he sailed homeward, not thinking that he
had forgotten his game of cribbage with his fair hostess.

Strange to say, the old sailor never once recollected his customary
diversion throughout the evening!

CHAPTER NINE.

A RIVAL COLLECTOR.

Nothing could have been better than the appearances of wind and weather
next morning--that long-wished-for "to-morrow," which had at last come,
in spite of the Captain's perpetual procrastination.

The bright sun was glowing in a clear blue sky overhead, that was
unflecked by a single cloud, while a fresh breeze blowing from the
westwards to prevent the air from becoming stagnant; and the barometer,
at "set Fair," made all prophets of evil, if such there were about, keep
their lips tightly closed and say nothing to damp the spirits of the
expectant voyagers.

"Hullo, Nell!" shouted Bob, drumming on the balustrade of the staircase
outside his bedroom to attract her attention and rouse her up. "Are you
awake yet?"

Nellie's answer to this question was a "staggerer" to Master Bob, as he
termed it in his choice phraseology.

She appeared in the passage that passed her door fully dressed.

"I got up when Sarah rose, and have been ready to go downstairs for the
last hour," she said calmly, with a conscious pride. "You'd better look
sharp with your dressing, Bob, for it is past six o'clock. Unless you
start off soon to the beach, too, for your bathe, you'll never be back
in time for breakfast, which is going to be earlier this morning so that
we may catch the steamer comfortably."

"My good gracious!" exclaimed Bob, jamming his right foot into his left
boot in his hurry and wasting a minute or more