s could not refrain from grumbling about interference, and the
Yankee roundly asserted that "before he'd go into a public, and sit down
and smoke his pipe without doin' somethin' for the good o' the 'ouse,
he'd like to see himself chawed up pretty slick, he would."

"Waiter a-hoy!" shouted Captain Bluenose sternly, on hearing this.

"Yes-sir."

"Bring me a tumbler o' gin and a pot o' _cold water_."

"Tum'ler--o'--gin--sir--an'--a--por--o'--col' wa'r, sir? Yes--sir."

The waiter stopped suddenly and turned back.

"_Mixed_, sir?"

"No, _not_ mixed, sir," replied Bluenose, with a look and tone of
withering sarcasm; "contrairywise, wery much separated."

When the gin and water were placed on the table, the Captain quietly
took up the former and cast it, glass and all, under the grate, after
which he raised the pot of water to his lips, and, looking round on the
company with a bland smile, said:--

"There, I've took somethin' for the good of the house, and now, lads,
I'll drink to your better health and happiness in my favourite tipple,
the wich I heartily recommend to _you_."

Bluenose drained the pot, flung a half-crown on the table, and swaggered
out of the house with his hands deep in the pockets of his rough
pea-jacket.

The fact was that the worthy Captain felt aggrieved, and his spirit was
somewhat ruffled at the idea of being expected to drink in a house where
he had oftentimes, for years past, regaled himself with, and expended
his money upon, bread and cheese and ginger-beer!

CHAPTER THREE.

IN WHICH THE INTRODUCTION OF IMPORTANT PERSONAGES IS CONTINUED, IN
RATHER EXCITING CIRCUMSTANCES.

"Where away's the boat, lad?" said Captain Bluenose to Bax, on
recovering his equanimity.

"Close at hand; mind the fluke of that anchor. The owner of this spot
should be put in limbo for settin' man-traps. Have a care of your
shins, Guy; it's difficult navigation here on a dark night."

"All right, Bax," replied Guy; "I'll keep close in your wake, so if you
capsize we shall at least have the comfort of foundering together."

The place through which the three friends were groping their way was
that low locality of mud and old stores, which forms the border region
between land and water, and in which dwelt those rats which have been
described as being frolicsome and numerous.

"Hold hard!" roared Bluenose, as he tripped over the shank of an anchor,
"why don't you set up a lighthouse, or a beacon o' som