“Shiver my timbers!” gasped the captain, awestruck by the hideous crash that followed.

“You’ve shivered the ornaments at any rate,” said Minnie, half-laughing and half-crying.

“So I have, but no matter.  Never say die so long’s there a shot in the locker.  There’s as good fish in the sea as ever come out of it; so bear a hand, my girl, and help me to sling up the hammock.”

The hammock was slung, the pipe of peace was smoked, and thus Captain Ogilvy was fairly installed in his sister’s cottage.

It may, perhaps, be necessary to remind the reader that all this is a long digression; that the events just narrated occurred a few days before the return of Ruby, and that they have been recorded here in order to explain clearly the reason of the captain’s appearance at the supper table of his sister, and the position which he occupied in the family.

When Ruby reached the gate of the small garden, Minnie had gone to the captain’s room to see that it was properly prepared for his reception, and the captain himself was smoking his pipe close to the chimney, so that the smoke should ascend it.

The first glance through the window assured the youth that his mother was, as letters had represented her, much better in health than she used to be.  She looked so quiet and peaceful, and so fragile withal, that Ruby did not dare to “surprise her” by a sudden entrance, as he had originally intended, so he tapped gently at the window, and drew back.

The captain laid down his pipe and went to the door.

“What, Ruby!” he exclaimed, in a hoarse whisper.

“Hush, uncle!  How is Minnie; where is she?”

“I think, lad,” replied the captain in a tone of reproof, “that you might have enquired for your mother first.”

“No need,” said Ruby, pointing to the window; “I see that she is there and well, thanks be to God for that:—­but Minnie?”

“She’s well, too, boy, and in the house.  But come, get inside.  I’ll explain, after.”

This promise to “explain” was given in consequence of the great anxiety he, the captain, displayed to drag Ruby into the cottage.

The youth did not require much pressing, however.  He no sooner heard that Minnie was well, than he sprang in, and was quickly at his mother’s feet.  Almost as quickly a fair vision appeared in the doorway of the inner room, and was clasped in the young sailor’s arms with the most thorough disregard of appearances, not to mention propriety.

While this scene was enacting, the worthy captain was engaged in active proceedings, which at once amused and astonished his nephew, and the nature and cause of which shall be revealed in the next chapter.

CHAPTER VII

RUBY IN DIFFICULTIES

Having thrust his nephew into the cottage, Captain Ogilvy’s first proceeding was to close the outer shutter of the window and fasten it securely on the inside.  Then he locked, bolted, barred, and chained the outer door, after which he shut the kitchen door, and, in default of any other mode of securing it, placed against it a heavy table as a barricade.