“What! eh!  Ruby Brand?” he shouted in surprise.

“Och! or his ghost!” cried Ned O’Connor, who had been Appointed to Ruby’s vacant situation.

“A pretty solid ghost you’ll find me,” said Ruby with a laugh, as he stepped forward and seized the smith by the hand.

“Musha! but it’s thrue,” cried O’Connor, quitting the bellows, and seizing Ruby’s disengaged hand, which he shook almost as vehemently as the smith did the other.

“Now, then, don’t dislocate him altogether,” cried the captain, who was much delighted with this warm reception; “he’s goin’ to jine you, boys, so have mercy on his old timbers.”

“Jine us!” cried the smith.

“Ay, been appointed to the old berth,” said Ruby, “so I’ll have to unship you, Ned.”

“The sooner the better; faix, I niver had much notion o’ this fiery style o’ life; it’s only fit for sallymanders and bottle-imps.  But when d’ye begin work, lad?”

“To-morrow, I believe.  At least, I was told to call at the office to-morrow.  To-day I have an engagement.”

“Ay, an’ it’s time we was under weigh,” said Captain Ogilvy, taking his nephew by the arm.  “Come along, lad, an’ don’t keep them waiting.”

So saying they bade the smith goodbye, and, leaving the forge, walked smartly towards that part of the harbour where the boats lay.

“Ruby,” said the captain, as they went along, “it’s lucky it’s such a fine day, for Minnie is going with us.”

Ruby said nothing, but the deep flush of pleasure that overspread his countenance proved that he was not indifferent to the news.

“You see she’s bin out of sorts,” continued the captain, “for some time back; and no wonder, poor thing, seein’ that your mother has been so anxious about you, and required more than usual care, so I’ve prevailed on the leftenant to let her go.  She’ll get good by our afternoon’s sail, and we won’t be the worse of her company.  What say ye to that, nephy?”

Ruby said that he was glad to hear it; but he thought a great deal more than he said, and among other things he thought that the lieutenant might perhaps be rather in the way; but as his presence was unavoidable, he made up his mind to try to believe that he, the lieutenant, would in all probability be an engaged man already.  As to the possibility of his seeing Minnie and being indifferent to her (in the event of his being a free man), he felt that such an idea was preposterous!  Suddenly a thought flashed across him and induced a question—­

“Is the lieutenant married, uncle?”

“Not as I know of, lad; why d’ye ask?”

“Because—­because—­married men are so much pleasanter than——­”

Ruby stopped short, for he just then remembered that his uncle was a bachelor.

“’Pon my word, youngster! go on, why d’ye stop in your purlite remark?”

“Because,” said Ruby, laughing, “I meant to say that young married men were so much more agreeable than young bachelors.”