d reason to leave the
table before Munroe had finished, he politely asked to be excused for
doing so. This mark of consideration overshadowed his other faults and
stamped him as a gentleman in the opinion of the mate. A somewhat
disturbing incident followed, for the guttural voice of someone nowhere
to be seen rebuked James Munroe for absenting himself from the vessel
for two days and indulging in intoxicating drink to excess and for
purloining a poor farmer's fowls, which even the painful results to
himself could not excuse. Then followed a modest tribute to Captain
Macgregor's superior morality. "It is not well that Macgregor should
ever taste alcohol," said the voice; "the slightest drop takes effect
and causes him to appear intoxicated when he is not." Then there came
from the stairs the almost incoherent announcement that a stormy
passage was to be experienced. Then the voice fluttered away, and left
only the sound of creaking timbers and the weird moan of the wind.
Munroe was riveted with dumb terror, and when speech came to him he
remarked: "That's darned funny," and proceeded on deck to attend to his
duties. In a short time he was joined by the captain, who was promptly
informed of what had been heard.

"Ah," said the skipper, in dead earnest, "that must have been a warning
to you and to me to regulate our lives aright."

"I don't know about the warning, but these visitations you talk about
are not very canny," responded the mate.

"How dare you complain of being reminded of absenting yourself from
your duties and stealing poultry and concealing them in a manner that
is disgraceful?" sternly replied the captain.

"All right," said Munroe in a voice obviously agitated, "say no more
about it."

Macgregor navigated for three days after leaving, with great vigour and
commendable care, though it was known that he was tippling. He seemed
to have an aversion to Ralph when he had imbibed too freely. This could
not be accounted for, as until recently Ralph was very popular with the
captain. After passing Elsinore he commenced to drink harder, but
always kept his watch until the Scaw was rounded. Then irregularities
became visible. Strong westerly winds were encountered after passing
the Jutland coast. The men knew by experience whenever a light was kept
burning in the stateroom at night, when the wind blew hard and a press
of canvas was being carried, that the intention was, not to take a
stitch in until something