“‘I am not your dear,’ she replied, tossing her head, and went out.  After a while she returned, and said:  ’Captain Massey wanted to speak to the little man first.’  That was me.

“I went into the house, and was shown into the parlour, where the captain was standing behind a table.  There was a gun close to his hand in a corner, two horse pistols on a shelf, and a sword hanging over them.  He said:  ‘Who are you, where from, and whither bound?’ to which I replied: 

“’My name is John Moore; me and my mate have left our ship, a whaler, at Hobarton, and we are bound for Launceston.’

“’Oh, you are a runaway foremast hand are you?  Then you know something about work on board ship.’  He then put questions to me about the work of a seaman, making sail, and reefing, about masts, yards, and rigging, and finished by telling me to box a compass.  I passed my examination pretty well, and he told me to send in the other fellow.  He put Jonathan through his sea-catechism in the same way, and then said we could have supper and a shake-down for the night.

“After supper the young lady sat near the kitchen fire sewing, and Jonathan took a chair near her and began a conversation.  He said: 

“I must beg pardon for having ventured to address you as ‘my dear,’ on so short an acquaintance, but I hope you will forgive my boldness.  Fact is, I felt quite attached to you at first sight.’  And so on.  If there was one thing that Jonathan could do better than another it was talking.  The lady was at first very prim and reserved; but she soon began to listen, smiled, and even tittered.  A little boy about two years old came in and stood near the fire.  Having nothing else to do, I took him on my knee, and set him prattling until we were very good friends.  Then an idea came into my head.  I said: 

“’I guess, Jonathan, this little kid is about the same age as your youngest boy in Boston, ain’t he?’

“Of course, Jonathan had no boy and was not married, but the sudden change that came over that young lady was remarkable.  She gave Jonathan a look of fury, jumped up from her seat, snatched up her sewing, and bounced out of the kitchen.  The old man came in, and told us to come along, and he would show us our bunks.  We thought he was a little queer, but he seemed uncommonly kind and anxious to make us comfortable for the night.  He took us to a hut very strongly built with heavy slabs, left us a lighted candle, and bade us good-night.  After he closed the door we heard him put a padlock on it; he was a kindly old chap, and did not want anybody to disturb us during the night, and we soon fell fast asleep.  Next morning he came early and called us to breakfast.  He stayed with us all the time, and when we had eaten, said: 

“‘Well, have you had a good breakfast?’

“Jonathan spoke: 

“’Yes, old man, we have.  You are a gentleman; you have done yourself proud, and we are thankful, ain’t we, Jack?  You are the best and kindest old man we’ve met since we sailed from Boston.  And now I think it’s time we made tracks for Launceston.  By-bye, Captain.  Come along, Jack.’