Cheer yer up, my lad. I once went ashore with a messmate to help him
like when he was going to have a tooth out as had been jigging horrid
for two days. He said it did him no end o' good to have me there. So
s'pose I come, sir. It strikes me as the captain won't say half so much
to yer p'raps with me standing by."

"Oh, no, no, no, Tom," cried Aleck, quickly.

"It's very good of you, and I'm much obliged, but I'd rather go straight
in and face my uncle quite alone. I'm sure he'd think I brought you
because I was too cowardly to come alone."

"Would he, sir?"

"I feel sure he would, Tom."

"Well, Master Aleck, I dessay you knows best, but come I will if you'd
like me to, sir."

"Yes, I know that, Tom," cried the boy, warmly, "but it would be better
for me to go in alone."

"Think so, sir?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it."

"Well, p'raps you're right, sir. It seems more brave British seaman to
face the enemy straightforward like. Not as I mean, sir, as the
captain's a enemy, but on'y just standing for one till the row's over.
D'yer see?"

"Yes, I see, Tom, and I've been thinking, too, that it will be enough
for me to go in and face uncle at once, and for you not to wait to be
paid for this journey."

"Oh, I don't want no paying, my lad, for a little job like this. Think
of the times when you've give me pretty nigh all the fish you've
caught!"

"But uncle said you were to be paid, Tom."

"Very well, sir. Let him pay me then nex' time he sees me. That'll be
all right. You'll be sending a rock through the boat's planks afore
long, and I shall have to come over and put a bit o' noo planking in.
The captain will pay me then. I say, it's time we put her about. We
can make a good bit this reach. Strikes me that the wind's more abeam
than when we started."

"Is it?" said Aleck, drearily, and he felt that it would have been far
more satisfactory for it to be dead ahead, or to be blowing so fiercely
that they would be compelled to put back to Rockabie, and his return
home deferred to another day.

As it was, it became more and more favourable, and an easy passage was
made round the great promontory, while the current that rushed round the
point and raced outward was so calmed down by the tide being just at the
turn that the boat glided round and into smooth water, the stack rocks
soon after coming into sight, and, with what seemed to the lad like
horrible rapidity, they ran in under the rocks and passed th