t Jerry Vincent's and Mr Bexley's stories.

"I'll tell you a story, for the truth of which I can vouch," said Uncle
Kelson. "The circumstance only lately happened. So, strange as it may
seem, there is no doubt about it. You all have heard speak of Sir Harry
Burrard Neale, who commands just now the King's yacht, the _Royal
Charlotte_. The boatswain of her is a friend of mine, and last summer
he got me a cast down to Weymouth, where I wanted to go to see the widow
of an old shipmate I had promised to look after. We were just clear of
the Needles. There was a light breeze and a smooth sea, when we made
out a small boat standing towards us, seemingly as if she had come out
of Poole harbour or Swanage.

"`She seems to me to be a fishing-boat, and as if she wanted to speak
us, Sir Harry,' said the first lieutenant, who had been spying at her
through his glass.

"`So I see,' answered the captain. `There seem to be two people in her
making signals. It will not delay us much, so heave the ship to, and
let us learn what they want.'

"This was just like Sir Harry. Many a captain would have stood on and
taken no notice of a poor fisherman's boat, even had there been a dozen
people waving in her. In a little time the boat came alongside, with a
man and a woman in her, and they were certainly the rummest old couple
you ever saw in your life.

"A midshipman hailed them, and asked them what they wanted. As well as
we could make out, for they spoke very broad Scotch, they said that they
wanted their son.

"`Let them come aboard,' said Sir Harry kindly, `and we will hear what
they have to say.'

"With no little difficulty, after a good deal of pulling and hauling, we
got the old couple upon deck, and led them aft to Sir Harry.

"`For whom are you inquiring, my good people?' asked the captain.

"`Our bairn, sir--our ain bairn,' answered the old lady. `For many a
weary week have we been looking for him, and never have our eyes rested
on his bonnie face since the black day, near five long years ago, when
he was carried away from us. Ah! it was a sair day, sirs.'

"`What is your son's name, my good people?' asked Sir Harry.

"`David, sir--Davie Campbell. He was so called after his grandfather,
who died in '45, with mony other brave men,' answered the old dame.

"`We have a man of that name on board, sir,' remarked the first
lieutenant to the captain. `He is in the watch below. It will be
strange if he should pro