“The fare is fixed by the owner of the vessel, P. Gregg, Bank-street, Leith. You had better apply to him.”
“Weel, I dinna’ think I’ll jest go noo. I want to see the Canada lochs. Ane o’ these days I’ll tak’ passage wi’ you onyhow.”
“Perhaps a glass of brandy and water would serve your purpose at this time,” said the captain, with a knowing smile.
“I’ve noo objections, captain,” said the long-visaged traveller to the lochs o’ Canada.
“That’s one way of getting a glass of brandy for nothing,” said the captain, as he accompanied the Lyndsays to the deck. “That fellow has as much notion of going to Canada, as I have of taking a voyage to the moon. But he knows that I will give him the brandy to get rid of him.”
“What do you think of the Anne and her captain, John?” said Flora, as she took the proffered arm of her husband. “He is a rough sailor, but looks like an honest man. And the ship, though small, is clean, and offers better accommodations than the Flora, where we should have to share a small cabin with fourteen passengers.”
“My dear wife, it may all be true what you say; but I have made up my mind to go in the Flora. She sails so much earlier, that it will be a great saving of time and expense.”
Flora’s countenance fell; but she only muttered to herself,—
“Oh, I have such a horror of going in that ship!”
At the turning of the street they met Mr. Peterson, the owner of the Flora, to whom Lyndsay had spoken about taking a passage in her the day before.