"Troth am I, sir," replied Jamie, throwing on his storm-jacket; "I've my gudewife and a bonnie bairn to provide for. In what can I serve ye, sir?" "Take us on board the vessel that is nearest the shore, and thou shalt have an angel." An angel was thirteen shillings Scots--but now Jamie paused. "A Louis, then? Plague on't! thou sailest nigh the wind, man!" "Come, come, fellow," said one of the masked men, imperiously, "do not trifle, for we have not time to chaffer with such carles as thee. Besides, this place hath a devilish odour of tar, wet twine, and old fish baskets----" "Wow, sir, but you've a het tongue in your head, and a dainty nose on your face. But it's no the money that I tak tent o'," replied Jamie, proudly. "The craft that was close in shore, and hugging the land a' day, never showed her ensign; but three times lowered her boat, and three times hoisted it on board again. Her forecastle guns are levelled owre the gunnel, and not through portholes, wherefore I opine she is English; so gentlemen, I crave your pardons, but I likena the job." "Jamie Gair," said one of the strangers, in a hoarse whisper, "'tis on the King's service we are boune; here are six golden lions; art satisfied? If not, I would not be in thy tarry boots, fellow, for all the Howe of Angus!" This man's voice startled Jamie, for he now recognised Sir Patrick Gray of Kyneff, captain of the adjacent Royal Castle of Broughty--one with whom he, a poor fisherman, dared not trifle for a moment. "I will do your bidding, fair sir; but my neighbour is away to the fishing-ground, whilk o' ye can handle an oar?" "I," said Borthwick. "And I," added Gray of Kyneff; "so let us be off, for I have not a moment to spare." "Gudewife, thou wilt pardon us taking Jamie away for an hour or so; and bethink thee, dame, how many braw gauds and new kirtles these golden lions will buy." And with these words Gray placed in Margo's hand six of those large gold coins of James II., which bore on one side a lion rampant, and on the reverse, the St. Andrew's cross. Jamie put on one of those broad blue bonnets for the manufacture of which Dundee was even then celebrated, and after kissing the sleeping baby, said,-- "Now, Mary, let me kiss thee, lass, frae lug to lug." "To spare time, I shall be glad to save thee that trouble, Gair," said Sir Patrick Gray. "Mony thanks, my braw gentleman," retorted Jamie, twirling the boat-stretcher in his brawny hand; "but there are some things I like to do for myself, and _this_ is ane o' them. Keep a cog fu' o' het yill on the hearth for me, Mary, gin the time I return; and now, sirs, let's awa." As they stumbled along the beach to the rude stone pier, where Jamie's clinker-built boat was moored to an iron ring, "Dost see anything of those ships?" asked Sir Patrick Gray whom Jamie was careful not to recognise.