women will never
let such a pretty fellow as me starve; and the ship is not so crowded
but that you may allow me house-room. Reach here your fist, old
Nor'-wester, and say 'tis a bargain."

The Captain remained with his hands firmly thrust into his breeches'
pockets; but Flora knew by the comical smile on his face that he was
relenting.

"You can't help yourself, Captain, so we had better he friends."

"And you have no money?"

"Not a sixpence."

"Nor clothes?"

"None but of nature's tanning. I did not choose to walk off with the
king's coat on my back; and these duds were lent me by a friend. You
see, Captain, I am entirely dependent upon your bounty. You can't have
the heart to be less generous than a parcel of silly women."

"You may well say, 'silly women.' But, how the deuce did you escape my
observation?"

"Ah, Captain, that was easy enough. I had only to keep on the blind
side."

Boreas winced--he didn't half like the joke. "Well, sir, keep on the
blind side of me still. Don't let me find you cutting up any capers
among the women, or by Jove you'll have to swim some dark night to
Quebec without the help of a lanthorn."

"Thank you, Captain; I'll take your advice, and keep in the dark. If you
want security for my good conduct, all the women in the steerage will go
bail for me."

"Pretty bail, indeed! They first cheat me out of my just dues, by
smuggling you on board, and then promise to give security for your good
conduct. But I'll take the change out of you, never fear." And away
walked the Captain, secretly laughing in his sleeve at his odd customer,
who became as great a favourite with the blunt sailor as he was with his
female friends.

"The fellow's not a sneak, Mrs. Lyndsay; I like him for that. And if the
women choose to feed him at their own charges, he's welcome to what he
can get. I shan't trouble my head with prying into his private affairs."

The truth of the matter was, that Corrie was desperately in love with a
very pretty girl, called Margaret Williamson, who doubtless had smuggled
her lover on hoard in female attire. The family of the Williamsons
consisted of a father, two awkward rough lads, four grown-up daughters,
and an old grandmother. Nannie and Jeannie, the elder daughters of the
old man, were ugly, violent women, on the wrong side of thirty; Lizzie
and Margaret were still in their teens, and were pretty, modest looking
girls, the belles of the ship. The old grandmother, w