hand
to his lips; Lawrence shook him cordially by his hand, saying as he did
so--

"I am glad, cousin, that you have charge of so fine a ship. I hope it
will be as profitable as a voyage to Greenland. We are all cousins
here, you see, captain--that is to say, all of true Norse blood; and,
moreover, are not ashamed of our connections. Here we have Rolf Morton,
as pretty a man as you may wish to see, though not Shetland born, as far
as we know, married to young Bertha Eswick, daughter to our good cousin
Dame Eswick, at present governess, manager, or housekeeper of Lunnasting
Castle. Thus, you understand, Rolf Morton is our cousin by marriage;
and who would disown him because he is at present but an humble pilot!
A finer fellow or a truer seaman does not step, though I say it to his
face."

Morton had not listened to these remarks; but Don Hernan had heard
sufficient to understand their tenor, and to make him feel that he was
not wrong in placing perfect reliance on his pilot's seamanship and
knowledge of the coast. Hilda, who had never before been on board a
large ship, was delighted with the sight as she gazed upwards on the
towering mass of canvas which seemed to rise into the very blue sky
itself; then around on the rich carving and gilt work; on the polished
brass, of which several of the guns were formed; on the fresh, bright
painting, and the various other embellishments of the ship.

Directed by Morton, the "Saint Cecilia" soon glided out through the
narrow entrance to the Sound, so close to the black rocks on one side
that a good leaper could almost have sprung on shore. The officers
turned their eyes now and anon from the rocks, which threatened
destruction to their beautiful ship, to the pilot, but his calm,
self-confident look assured them that there was no danger, and soon she
was rising and falling to the undulations of the open sea, while Whalsey
and the other outlying islands blended rapidly into one, and soon could
not be distinguished from the main land.

"This is indeed truly enchanting!" exclaimed Hilda. "Though I have
frequently been at sea, it has always been on board some slow-sailing
trader or packet, where sights and sounds and associations were all
unpleasant together. In a ship like this, how delightful to sail round
the world! I should never weary of such a life."

"Then share it with me, Hilda," was the natural though unexpected
rejoinder of the Spanish captain, spoken in a low v