The Vital Spark | Page 3

Morrison, Dougie would go
in and ask if the man came from Kilmartin or anyway roond aboot there,
and if the man said no, Dougie would say, 'It's a great peety, for I have
cousins of the same name, but maybe you'll have time to come oot for a
dram?' Dougie was chust sublime!
"Every day we would be getting sixpenny telegrams from the man the
coals was for at Tarbert, but och! we did not think he wass in such an
aawful hurry, and then he came himself to Greenock with the Grenadier,
and the only wans that wass not in the polls-office wass myself and the
derrick. He bailed the laads out of the polls-office, and 'Now,' he said,'
you will chust sail her up as fast as you can, like smert laads, for my
customers iss waiting for their coals, and I will go over and see my
good-sister at Helensburgh, and go back to Tarbert the day efter
to-morrow.'
"Hoo can we be going and us with no money?' said Dougie--man, he
wass sublime! So the man gave me a paper pound of money, and went
away to Helensburgh, and Dougie wass ooilin' up a hawser forrit ready
to start from the quay. When he wass away, Dougie said we would
maybe chust be as weel to wait another tide, and I said I didna know,
but what did he think, and he said, 'Ach, of course!' and we went aal
back into Greenock. 'Let me see that pound!' said Dougie, and did I not
give it to him? and then he rang the bell of the public-hoose we were in,
and asked for four tacks and a wee hammer. When he got the four tacks
and the wee hammer he nailed the pound note on the door, and said to
the man, 'Chust come in with a dram every time we ring the bell till
that's done!' If Dougie wass here he would tell you. Two days efter that
the owner of the Fital Spark came doon from Gleska and five men with
him, and they went away with her to Tarbert."
"And so you lost the old command," I said, preparing to go off. "Well, I
hope something will turn up soon."

"There wass some talk aboot a dram," said the mariner. "I thought you
said something aboot a dram, but och! there's no occasion!"
A week later, I am glad to say, the Captain and his old crew were
reinstated on the Vital Spark.

II. THE PRIZE CANARY
"CANARIES!" said Para Handy contemptuously, "I have a canary
yonder at home that would give you a sore heid to hear him singing.
He's chust sublime. Have I no', Dougie?"
It was the first time the mate had ever heard of the Captain as a
bird-fancier, but he was a loyal friend, and at Para Handy's wink he
said promptly, "You have that, Peter. Wan of the finest ever stepped.
Many a sore heid I had wi't."
"What kind of a canary is it?" asked the Brodick man jealously. "Is it a
Norwich?"
Para Handy put up his hand as usual to scratch his ear, and checked the
act half-way. "No, nor a Sandwich; it's chust a plain yellow wan," he
said coolly. "I'll wudger ye a pound it could sing the best you have blin'.
It whustles even-on, night and day, till I have to put it under a bowl o'
watter if I'm wantin' my night's sleep."
The competitive passions of the Brodick man were roused. He
considered that among his dozen prize canaries he had at least one that
could beat anything likely to be in the possession of the Captain of the
Vital Spark, which was lying at Brodick when this conversation took
place. He produced it--an emaciated, sickle-shaped, small-headed,
bead-eyed, business-looking bird, which he called the Wee Free. He
was prepared to put up the pound for a singing contest anywhere in
Arran, date hereafter to be arranged.
"That's all right," said Para Handy, "I'll take you on. We'll be doon this
way for a cargo of grevel in a week, and if the money's wi' the man in

the shippin'-box at the quay, my canary'll lift it."
"But what aboot your pound?" asked the Brodick man. "You must
wudger a pound too."
"Is that the way o't?" said the Captain. "I wass never up to the gemblin',
but I'll risk the pound," and so the contest was arranged.
"But you havena a canary at aal, have you?" said Dougie, later in the
day, as the Vital Spark was puffing on her deliberate way to Glasgow.
"Me?" said Para Handy, "I would as soon think of keepin' a hoolet. But
och, there's plenty in Gleska if you have the money. From