’The town was rough with a riot between the press-gang and the whaling folk; and I thought I’d best see Sylvia home.’

‘Ay, ay, lad; always welcome, if it’s only as an excuse for t’ liquor.  But t’ whalers, say’st ta?  Why, is t’ whalers in?  There was none i’ sight yesterday, when I were down on t’ shore.  It’s early days for ’em as yet.  And t’ cursed old press-gang’s agate again, doing its devil’s work!’

His face changed as he ended his speech, and showed a steady passion of old hatred.

‘Ay, missus, yo’ may look.  I wunnot pick and choose my words, noather for yo’ nor for nobody, when I speak o’ that daumed gang.  I’m none ashamed o’ my words.  They’re true, and I’m ready to prove ’em.  Where’s my forefinger?  Ay! and as good a top-joint of a thumb as iver a man had?  I wish I’d kept ’em i’ sperits, as they done things at t’ ‘potticary’s, just to show t’ lass what flesh and bone I made away wi’ to get free.  I ups wi’ a hatchet when I saw as I were fast a-board a man-o’-war standing out for sea—­it were in t’ time o’ the war wi’ Amerikay, an’ I could na stomach the thought o’ being murdered i’ my own language—­so I ups wi’ a hatchet, and I says to Bill Watson, says I, “Now, my lad, if thou’ll do me a kindness, I’ll pay thee back, niver fear, and they’ll be glad enough to get shut on us, and send us to old England again.  Just come down with a will.”  Now, missus, why can’t ye sit still and listen to me, ‘stead o’ pottering after pans and what not?’ said he, speaking crossly to his wife, who had heard the story scores of times, and, it must be confessed, was making some noise in preparing bread and milk for Sylvia’s supper.

Bell did not say a word in reply, but Sylvia tapped his shoulder with a pretty little authoritative air.

’It’s for me, feyther.  I’m just keen-set for my supper.  Once let me get quickly set down to it, and Philip there to his glass o’ grog, and you’ll never have such listeners in your life, and mother’s mind will be at ease too.’

‘Eh! thou’s a wilfu’ wench,’ said the proud father, giving her a great slap on her back.  ’Well! set thee down to thy victual, and be quiet wi’ thee, for I want to finish my tale to Philip.  But, perhaps, I’ve telled it yo’ afore?’ said he, turning round to question Hepburn.

Hepburn could not say that he had not heard it, for he piqued himself on his truthfulness.  But instead of frankly and directly owning this, he tried to frame a formal little speech, which would soothe Daniel’s mortified vanity; and, of course, it had the directly opposite effect.  Daniel resented being treated like a child, and yet turned his back on Philip with all the wilfulness of one.  Sylvia did not care for her cousin, but hated the discomfort of having her father displeased; so she took up her tale of adventure, and told her father and mother of her afternoon’s proceedings.  Daniel pretended not to listen at first, and made ostentatious noises with his spoon and glass; but by-and-by he got quite warm and excited about the doings of the press-gang, and scolded both Philip and Sylvia for not having learnt more particulars as to what was the termination of the riot.