We need scarcely say that the mountain turned out to be a British man-of-war.  Ruby was quickly introduced to his future messmates, and warmly received by them.  Then he was left to his own free will during the remainder of that day, for the commander of the vessel was a kind man, and did not like to add to the grief of the impressed men by setting them to work at once.

Thus did our hero enter the Royal Navy; and many a long and weary day and month passed by before he again set foot in his native town.

CHAPTER XXVII

OTHER THINGS BESIDES MURDER “WILL OUT”

Meanwhile Davy Spink, with his heart full, returned slowly to the shore.

He was long of reaching it, the boat being very heavy for one man to pull.  On landing he hurried up to his poor little cottage, which was in a very low part of the town, and in a rather out-of-the-way corner of that part.

“Janet,” said he, flinging himself into a rickety old armchair that stood by the fireplace, “the press-gang has catched us at last, and they’ve took Big Swankie away, and, worse than that——­”

“Oh!” cried Janet, unable to wait far more, “that’s the best news I’ve heard for mony a day.  Ye’re sure they have him safe?”

“Ay, sure enough,” said Spink dryly; “but ye needna be sae glad aboot it, for Swankie was aye good to you.”

“Ay, Davy,” cried Janet, putting her arm round her husband’s neck, and kissing him, “but he wasna good to you.  He led ye into evil ways mony a time when ye would rather hae keepit oot o’ them.  Na, na, Davy, ye needna shake yer heed; I ken’d fine.”

“Weel, weel, hae’d yer ain way, lass, but Swankie’s awa” to the wars, and so’s Ruby Brand, for they’ve gotten him as weel.”

“Ruby Brand!” exclaimed the woman.

“Ay, Ruby Brand; and this is the way they did it.”

Here Spink detailed to his helpmate, who sat with folded hands and staring eyes opposite to her husband, all that had happened.  When he had concluded, they discussed the subject together.  Presently the little girl came bouncing into the room, with rosy cheeks, sparkling eyes, a dirty face, and fair ringlets very much dishevelled, and with a pitcher of hot soup in her hands.

Davy caught her up, and kissing her, said abruptly, “Maggie, Big
Swankie’s awa’ to the wars.”

The child looked enquiringly in her father’s face, and he had to repeat his words twice before she quite realized the import of them.

“Are ye jokin’, daddy?”

“No, Maggie; it’s true.  The press-gang got him and took him awa’, an’ I doot we’ll never see him again.”

The little girl’s expression changed while he spoke, then her lip trembled, and she burst into tears.

“See there, Janet,” said Spink, pointing to Maggie, and looking earnestly at his wife.

“Weel-a-weel,” replied Janet, somewhat softened, yet with much firmness, “I’ll no deny that the man was fond o’ the bairn, and it liked him weel enough; but, my certes! he wad hae made a bad man o’ you if he could.  But I’m real sorry for Ruby Brand; and what’ll the puir lassie Gray dot Ye’ll hae to gang up an’ gie them the message.”