well-behaved on board his ship, than that they should be out of work
and rioting in taverns and lodging-houses. And you yourself, father,
remember the herrin' fishers that come ashore at Ardie, and the deck
hands of the excursion boat, and the language they'll be using."

"Have you had a cruise in the yacht?" asked the consul quickly.

"Ay," said the father, "we have been up and down the loch, and around
the far point, but not for boardin' or lodgin' the night, nor otherwise
conteenuing or parteecipating. I have explained to Mr. Gray that we
must return to our own home and our own porridge at evening, and he has
agreed, and even come with us. He's a decent enough lad, and not above
instructin', but extraordinar' extravagant."

"Ye know, father," interposed the young girl, "he talks of fitting up
the yacht for the fishing, and taking some of his most decent men on
shares. He says he was very fond of fishing off the Massachusetts coast,
in America. It will be, I'm thinking," she said, suddenly turning to the
consul with an almost pathetic appeal in her voice, "a great occupation
for the rich young men over there."

The consul, desperately struggling with a fanciful picture of Mr. Robert
Gray as a herring fisher, thought gravely that it "might be." But he
thought still more gravely, though silently, of this singular companion
ship, and was somewhat anxious to confront his friend with his new
acquaintances. He had not long to wait. The sun was just dipping behind
the hill when the yacht glided into the lonely loch. A boat was put off,
and in a few moments Robert Gray was climbing the little path from the
loch.