148 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



permitting, so without delay I hastened to the desig- 

 nated wharf, to examine the craft, and strike a bargain 

 with the skipper. The captain was below, in the cabin, 

 one of the deck hands informed me, as I passed the 

 gangway, indicating the position of the companion- 

 ladder with a jerk of his finger over the left shoulder. 

 On getting at the bottom of that most inconvenient 

 piece of mechanism in every small craft, the com- 

 panion-ladder, a little faster than expected, having 

 slipped my foot on the second or third step, and slid 

 the rest of the way to the bottom, only saving my 

 neck by the hold I had of the banisters, and making a 

 tremendous racket by my rapid descent, I was saluted 

 with, " Jock, you careless lubber, can't you mind your 

 feet ? This is the second time you have made that 

 infernal clatter this day !" And what more would 

 have come I know not, for I interrupted the speaker 

 in his invective by knocking with considerable energy 

 at the door, which appeared to stand between us. On 

 being desired to enter, I turned the handle, when 

 Captain MacGregor was presented to my view, lathered 

 all over, and in the act of giving the finishing touch on 

 the strap to his razor. He was a big man, powerful, 

 raw-boned, but kindly-looking, and with great courtesy 

 he apologised for his undress, and the rough salute he 

 had given me ; the companion-ladder he condemned in 



