A RAPID DESCENT. , 285 



formed 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 in- 

 convenient piece of mechanism in every small craft 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,! was sa- 

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

 feet? This is the second time you have made that infer- 

 nal 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 present- 

 ed 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 apologized for his undress and the rough 

 salute he had given me. The companion-ladder he con- 

 demned in no measured terms, but at the same time he 

 could make no allowance for a young callant like Jock be- 

 ing not spry enough with his feet to keep a grip of aucht 

 that he could get his heel or toe on. I saw that the skip- 

 per was a bit of a character, and, with all his external rough- 

 ness, had a good, warm, kind heart underneath. I deter- 

 mined, therefore, to trust myself to his seamanship, if suit- 

 able terms could be made. At once the subject of my visit 

 was broached, and his charge for the trip ascertained. After 

 thinking a minute or two, he asked my name, and whether 

 or no I was from the States. On being answered in the 

 negative, and my cognomen given, he took a good look at 

 me, and laying down his razor, the lather being still on his 

 face, he delivered himself in these words : " The passage 



