to have the unexpected effect of appeasing his
sudden outburst of passion, which now disappeared as quickly as it had
broken out over my unoffending head.

"Be jabers, the gossoon's a born nat'ral!" he said sympathetically in a
sort of stage whisper to the stevedores, although in loud enough tones
for me to hear; and then, looking at me more kindly, and speaking in a
gentler key than he had yet adopted, he added, accentuating every word
separately and distinctly, with a racier Milesian accent than ever:
"Arrah, sure, an' I didn't mane to be rough on ye, laddie; but, till me
now, whar' d'ye come from, what's y'r name, an' what for are ye doin'
here?"

This was plain language, such as I could understand; and, seeing that he
must be some one in authority, despite his tarred clothes and somewhat
unpolished exterior, I hastened to answer his string of questions,
doffing my cap respectfully as I did so.

"My name is Allan Graham," I said on his motioning to those working the
crane to stop a bit while I spoke, "and I came up early this morning
from the country to sail in the Silver Queen. The brokers in Leadenhall
Street, Messrs. Splice and Mainbrace, to whom I went first, told me to
go on down to the docks and join the ship at once, sending a clerk to
show me the way, which he did, pointing out this vessel to me and
leaving me after saying that I was to go on board by the `gangway,' as
he called the plank I walked up by--that is why I am here!"

I uttered these last words somewhat sturdily and in a dignified tone,
plucking up courage as I proceeded; for, I began to get rather nettled
at the man's suspicions about me, his questions apparently having that
look and bearing.

"Och, by the powers!" he ejaculated, taking no notice of my dignified
demeanour; "yis, an' that's it, is it? Sure, an' will ye till me now,
are ye goin' as a cabin passinger or what, avic?"

"I'm going in the Silver Queen as a first-class apprentice," I answered
with greater dignity than ever, glancing down proudly at the smart blue
suit I wore, with its shining gilt buttons ornamented with an anchor in
relief, which mother and sister Nellie had so much admired the day
before, when I had donned it for the first time, besides inspecting me
critically that very morning previous to my leaving home, to see that I
looked all right--poor mother! dear Nell!

"Whe-e-e-up!" whistled my questioner between his teeth, a broad grin
overspreading his yet broader