"Of course ye do," retorted the captain. "Did ye ever hear or see
anything on this earth that hadn't rocks ahead o' some sort? It's our
business to steer past 'em, lad, not to 'bout ship and steer away.
But state yer difficulties."

"Well, in the first place, I'm not a stonemason or a carpenter, and I
suppose masons and carpenters are the men most wanted there."

"Not at all, blacksmiths are wanted there," said the captain, "and I
know that you were trained to that work as a boy."

"True, I can do somewhat with the hammer, but mayhap they won't
engage me."

"But they _will_ engage you, lad, for they are hard up for an
assistant blacksmith just now, and I happen to be hand-and-glove with
some o' the chief men of the yard, who'll be happy to take anyone
recommended by me."

"Well, uncle, but suppose I do go off to the rock, what chance have
you of making things appear better than they are at present?"

"I'll explain that, lad. In the first place, Major Stewart is a
gentleman, out-and-out, and will listen to the truth. He swears that
the robbery took place at one o'clock in the mornin', for he looked
at his watch and at the clock of the house, and heard it ring in the
town, just as the thieves cleared off over the wall. Now, if I can
get your old skipper to take a run here on his return from the West
Indies, he'll swear that you was sailin' out to the North Sea _before