CHAPTER FIVE.
CAPTAIN GILLESPIE COMES ABOARD.
"Oh!" I exclaimed at the same moment, drawing back hastily and tumbling over the boatswain, who with Adams was now busy hauling inboard the tackle of the disengaged cathead stopper.

"I'm blinded!" You see, I had been leaning over the bows, watching the operation of letting go the anchor; and, as the ponderous mass of metal plunged into the river, it sent up a column of spray on to the forecastle that came slap into my face, drenching my clothes and wetting me almost to the skin at the same time.
"Whisht, ma bouchal!" cried Tim Rooney, laughing at my sorry plight as I picked myself up.

"One'd think ye're kilt entoirely, wid all that row ye'r makin'! Ye'll niver be a sailor, Misther Gray-ham, if ye can't stand a bit av fun!" "Fun, you call it ?" I rejoined, rather angrily, I must confess, looking down ruefully at my soaking suit.

"Why, I'm wet through!" "Niver moind that," replied he, still grinning, as was also Adams.
"Sure, it's ownly y'r say chris'nin', though it's pricious little av the say there is, be the same token, in this dirthy shoal wather alongside av us now." "But, it is salt for all that," said I, having had an opportunity of tasting it's flavour, my mouth being wide open when I got the ducking.
"It is just like brine and even more nasty!" Tim laughed all the more at the faces I made, as I spluttered and fumed, trying vainly to get rid of the taste; for, I had swallowed about half a pint at least of the stuff.
"It ain't as good as Paydro's tay that we had jist now, is it ?" he observed consolingly.

"Thare's too many did dogs an' cats an' other poor bastesesses in it for that, me bhoy; but, faix, ye jist wait till we gits into blue wather an' out av soundin's, it'll be a real trayte for ye to taste it thin." "I don't know about that," I answered, getting over my little bit of temper and laughing too, he gave such a knowing wink and looked so comical--as I daresay I did, with all the shine taken out of my new uniform--"I think I've had quite enough of it already." I do not believe I could forget anything, however trivial, that occurred that day, every incident connected with the ship and its surroundings being stamped indelibly on my mind.
The bright February afternoon was already drawing to a close, the sun having set, as usual at that time of year, about half-past five o'clock, going down just as we were in all the bustle of "bringing up;" and, as the Silver Queen had swung with the tide after anchoring, her head now pointing up stream, looking back as it were on the course she had gone over, I had an uninterrupted view from where I stood on the forecastle of the western horizon, with the hazy city still apparent between.