early hours at Leigh Hall, and so they did at every house allover the quiet, romantic country, and no doubt they were all the betterfor it, and all the more healthy.
But our heroes must be forgiven, if, after the last guest had gone,after the lights were out in the banqueting hall, and the doors closedfor the night, they assembled in a cosy, fire-brightened room upstairs,all by their three selves, for a quiet confab and talk, a littleexchange of ideas, a little conversation about the days o' auld langsyne, and their hopes of adventures in the far north, whither they wereso soon to sail.
About once a fortnight, McBain, whom we may as well call Captain McBainnow--Captain McBain, of the steam yacht _Arrandoon_--used to run down toLeigh Hall to report progress; the "social hour," as Rory called it, wasthen doubly dear to them all, and I'm not at all sure that they did notupon these occasions steal half an hour at least from midnight. You seethey were very happy; they were happy with the happiness ofanticipation. They never dreamt of failure in the expedition on whichthey were about to embark.
"In the lexicon of youth, which fate reserves For a great manhood, there is no such word as--fail."
True, but had they known the dangers they were to encounter, the trialsthey would have to come through, brave as they undoubtedly were, theirhearts might have throbbed less joyfully. They had, however, the mostperfect confidence in each other, just as brothers might have. Thefriendship, begun long ago between them, cemented, during the cruise ofthe _Snowbird_, in many an hour of difficulty and danger--for had theynot come through fire and death together?--was strengthened during theirresidence at Leigh Hall. Indeed, it would not be too much to say thattheir affection for each other was brotherly to a degree. Dissimilar incharacter in many ways they were, but this same dissimilarity seemed butto increase their mutual regard and esteem. Faults each one of themhad--who on this earth has not?--and each could see those of the other,if he did not always notice his own. Says Burns--
"O would some power the giftie gie us, To see ourselves as others see us, It would from mony a fautie free us."
Probably, individually they did not forget these lines, and so the onewas most careful in guarding against anything that might hurt thefeelings of the others. Is not this true friendship?
But as to what is called "chaff," they had all learned long ago to beproof against that--I'm not sure they did not even like it; Rory did, Iknow; he said so one day; and on Allan asking him his reason, "My reasonis it?" says Rory; "sure enough, boys, chaffing metres with laughing;where you find the chaff you find the laugh, and laughing is better to aman than cod-liver oil. And that's my reason!"
And Rory's romantic sayings and doings were oftentimes the subject of aconsiderable deal of chaff and fun; so, too, was what the young Irishmanwas pleased to call Ralph's English "stolidity" and Allan's Scottishfire and intensity of patriotism; but never did the blood of one of ourboys get hot, never did their lips tighten in anger or their cheeks palewith vexation.
Just on one occasion--which I now record lest I forget it--was boy Rory,as he was still affectionately called, very nearly losing his temperunder a rattling fire of chaff from Allan and Ralph, who were in extragood spirits. It happened months after they had sailed in the_Arrandoon_. All at once that day Rory grew suddenly quiet, and thesmile that still remained on his face was only round the lips, anddidn't ripple round the eyes. It was a sad kind of a smile; then hejumped up and ran away from the table.
"We've offended him," said Allan, looking quite serious.
"I hope not," said Ralph, growing serious in turn.
"I'll go and look him up;" this from Allan.
"No, that you won't!" put in McBain.
"Leave boy Rory alone; he'll come to presently."
Meanwhile, ridiculous as it may seem, Rory had sped away forward to thedispensary, where he found the doctor. "Doctor, dear," cried Rory,"give me a blue pill at once--a couple of them, if you like, for sure itisn't well I am!"
"Oh!" said the surgeon, "liver a bit out of order, eh?"
"Liver!" cried Rory; "I know by the nasty temper that's on me that thereisn't a bit of liver left in me worth mentioning! There now, give methe pills."
The doctor laughed, but Rory had his bolus; then he came aft again,smiling, confessing to his comrades what a ninny he had very nearly beenmaking of himself. Just like Rory!
The bearing of our young heroes towards Captain McBain was invariablyrespectful and affectionate; they both loved and admired him, and,indeed, he was worthy of all their esteem. In wealth there is power,but in wisdom worth, and Ralph, Rory, and Allan felt this truth if theynever expressed it. McBain had really raised himself to the position henow held; he was a living proof that--
"Whate'er a man dares he can do."
I will not deny, however that McBain possessed a little genius to beginwith; but here is old Ap, once but a poor boat-builder, with never aspark of genius in him, superintending the construction of a noble ship.In him we have an example of industry and perseverance pure and simple.
The _Arrandoon_ made speedy progress on the stocks, and the anxious daywas near at hand when she would leave her native timbers, and slidegracefully and auspiciously it was to be hoped, into the smooth watersof the Clyde.
That day came at last, and with it came thousands to view the launch.With it came Mrs McGregor and Allan's sister; and the latter was tobreak the tiny phial of wine and name the ship!
On the platform beneath, and closely adjoining the bows of the_Arrandoon_, were numerous gentlemen and ladies; conspicuous among theformer was Rory. He was full of earnest and pleasant excitement.Conspicuous among the latter was Helen Edith. She certainly neverlooked more lovely than she did now. The ceremony she was about toengage in, in which, indeed, she was chief actress, was just a trifletoo much for her delicate nerves, and as she stood, bouquet in hand,with a slight flush on her cheek and a sparkle in her eye, with headslightly bent, she looked like a bride at the altar. Rory stood nearher; perhaps his vicinity comforted her, as did his remarks, to which,however, he met with but little response.
I am beginning to think that Rory loved this sweet child; if he did itwas a love that was purely Platonic, and it needed be none the lesssincere for all that. As for Helen Edith--but hark! A gun rings outfrom the deck of the _Arrandoon_ causing every window in the vicinity torattle again, and the steeples to nod. The gallant ship moves off downthe slip slowly--slowly--slowly, yes, slowly but steadily, swervingneither to starboard nor larboard, quicker now faster still. Will shefloat? Our heroes' hearts stand still. McBain is pale and breathesnot. She slows, she almost stops, now she is over the hitch and onagain, on--on--and on--and into the water. Hurrah! You should haveheard that cheer, and Rory shakes hands with Helen Edith, andcompliments her, and positively there are tears in the foolish boy'seyes. There was a deal of hand-shaking, I can assure you, after thelaunch, and a deal of joy expressed, and if the truth be told, more thanone prayer breathed for the future safety of the _Arrandoon_ and hergallant crew. There was lunch after launch in the saloon of the newyacht, at which Allan's mother presided with the same quiet dignity shewas wont to maintain at the castle that gave the ship its name.
McBain made a speech, and a good one, too, after Ralph had spoken a fewwords. Poor Ralph! speaking was certainly not his strong point. Butthere was no hesitancy about McBain, and no nervousness either, andduring its delivery he stood bolt upright in his place, as straight asan arrow, and his words were manly and straightforward. Allan feltproud of his foster-father. But Rory came next. For once in his lifehe hadn't the slightest intention of making anybody laugh. But becausehe tried not to, he did; and when Irish bull after Irish bull camerattling out, "Och!" thinks Rory to himself, "seriousness isn't my forteafter all;" then he simply gave himself rein, and expressed himself socomically that there was not a dry eye in the room, for tears come withlaughing as well as weeping.
There was a deal to be done to the _Arrandoon_--in her, on her, andaround her--after she was l
aunched, before she was ready; but it wouldserve no good purpose and only waste time to describe her completion,for we long to be "steam up" and away to sea _en route_ for the starrynorth.
She was a gallant sight, the _Arrandoon_, as she stood away out to sea,past the rocky shores of Bute, bound south on her trial trip by themeasured mile. Fifteen hundred tons burden was she, with tall andtapering masts: lower, main, topgallant, and royal; not one higher; nostar-gazers, sky-scrapers, or moon-rakers; she wouldn't have to rakemuch for the wind in the stormy seas they were going to. Then there wasthe funnel, such a funnel as a man with an eye in his head likes to see,not a mere pipe of a thing, but a great wide armful of a funnel, withthe tiniest bit of rake on it; so too had the masts, though
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