ld
himself in readiness to go to Arbroath in the shore-boat with a
letter from Mr. Stevenson to the superintendent of the workyard.

"You can go up and see your friends in the town, if you choose," said
the engineer, "but be sure to return by tomorrow's forenoon tide. We
cannot dispense with your services longer than a few hours, my lad,
so I shall expect you to make no unnecessary delay."

"You may depend upon me, sir," said Ruby, touching his cap, as he
turned away and leaped into the boat.

A light breeze was now blowing, so that the sails could be used. In
less than a quarter of an hour sloop and beacon were lost in the fog,
and Ruby steered for the harbour of Arbroath, overjoyed at this
unexpected and happy turn of events, which gave him an opportunity of
solving the mystery of the letters, and of once more seeing the sweet
face of Minnie Gray.

But an incident occurred which delayed these desirable ends, and
utterly changed the current of Ruby's fortunes for a time.

CHAPTER XXVI

A SUDDEN AND TREMENDOUS CHANGE IN RUBY'S FORTUNES

What a variety of appropriate aphorisms there are to express the
great truths of human experience! "There is many a slip 'twixt the
cup and the lip" is one of them. Undoubtedly there is. So is there
"many a miss of a sweet little kiss". "The course of true love",
also, "never did run smooth". Certainly not. Why should it? If it did
we should doubt whether the love were true. Our own private belief is
that the course of true love is always uncommonly rough, but
collective human wisdom has seen fit to put the idea in the negative
form. So let it stand.

Ruby had occasion to reflect on these things that day, but the
reflection afforded him no comfort whatever.

The cause of his inconsolable state of mind is easily explained.

The boat had proceeded about halfway to Arbroath when they heard the
sound of oars, and in a few seconds a ship's gig rowed out of the fog
towards them. Instead of passing them the gig was steered straight
for the boat, and Ruby saw that it was full of men-of-war's men.

He sprang up at once and seized an oar.

"Out oars!" he cried. "Boys, if ever you pulled hard in your lives,
do so now. It's the press-gang!"

Before those few words were uttered the two men had seized the oars,
for they knew well what the press-gang meant, and all three pulled
with such vigour that the boat shot over the smooth sea with double
speed. But they had no chance in a