"BREAD UPON THE WATERS"
in a dog than a Jew. What garred ye curse your Board, McPhee? It 's expensive.'
"'They 'll pay more for the Breslau,’ I said. 'Get off my knee, ye smotherin' beast.'
"'Bearin's hot, eh?' said McRimmon. 'It 's thirty year since a man daur curse me to my face. Time was I 'd ha' cast ye doon the stairway for that.'
"'Forgie 's all!' I said. He was wearin' to eighty, as I knew. 'I was wrong, McRimmon; but when a man 's shown the door for doin' his plain duty he 's not always ceevil.'
"'So I hear,' says McRimmon. 'Ha' ye ony objection to a tramp freighter? It 's only fifteen a month, but they say the Blind Deevil feeds a man better than others. She 's my Kite. Come ben. Ye can thank Dandie, here. I 'm no used to thanks. An' noo,' says he, 'what possessed ye to throw up your berth wi' Holdock?'
"'The new timin',' said I. 'The Breslau will not stand it.'
"'Hoot, oot, ' said he. 'Ye might ha' crammed her a little—enough to show ye were drivin' her—an' brought her in twa days behind. What 's easier than to say ye slowed for bearin's, eh? All my men do it, and—I believe 'em.'
"'McRimmon,' says I, 'what 's her virginity to a lassie?'
"He puckered his dry face an' twisted in his chair. 'The warld an' a',' says he. 'My God, the vara warld an’ a'! But what ha' you or me to do wi' virginity, this late along?'
"'This,' I said. 'There 's just one thing that each
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