; and, looking over the
bows to the left, I noticed a large boat rowing rapidly up to us from
the direction of Gravesend.

This boat, as it got nearer, seemed to be crammed full of men, its
gunwale being quite down to the water's edge with the weight of its
human cargo.

In an instant, the thought flashed through my mind, ridiculous though it
was, that the ship was about to be boarded by pirates, my reading for
some time past, and especially during the last week or so when I was
assured of going to sea, having been mainly confined to stories of
nautical adventure, in which such gentry generally played a prominent
part.

"Look, look, Mr Rooney!" I cried stopping my shivering and feeling all
aglow with excitement. "Don't you see that boat there coming towards us
to capture the ship?"

"Arrah, don't make a fool av y'rsilf, Misther Gray-ham," he answered,
laughing and taking the matter quite coolly. "It's ownly goin' to that
Yankee astern av us; but the tide bein' on the ebb, in course, they've
got to make foorther up the strame towards this vessel, so as to fetch
their own craft handsomely--d'ye see?"

He was mistaken, however, for the boat approached closer and closer to
us, so that the occupants could be clearly distinguished; and, just as
it came alongside, a man in the stern-sheets, who had been steering,
stood up, still holding the yokelines, and hailed the ship.

"Silver Queen, ahoy!"

"Begorra, it's the skipper!" ejaculated Tim, recognising the voice at
once; and he then shouted out in a louder tone: "Aye, aye, Cap'en
Gillespie, it's the owld barquy, sure enough. Stand by, an' I'll haive
ye a rhope in a brace av shakes!"

The quiet that had reigned on board now vanished; and all was bustle and
activity, the captain's loud hail having been heard by others besides
the boatswain.

Almost before he had time to pitch the promised rope to the bowman of
the boat so that it could drop down with the stream under the ship's
counter, Mr Mackay and the pilot appeared again on the poop; while the
others came out on to the main-deck, ready to receive the new-comers in
seaman-like fashion, the second mate and Matthews taking up a position
just amidships, abaft of the main-chains, where the side-ladder was
fixed, acting as a sort of guard of honour as it were.

First to appear on board, holding on to the side lines which the second
mate had thrown over within his reach, and stepping up the narrow and
slippery ladd