His traps came on board hours before he himself did.
Little Mr. Sneyd came down below with very big eyes in his head.
"By gum!" he cried. "I've seen the doctor's traps and I've lost my little bet. Run in to his cabin, Sodjer, and see them."
The marine officer, who was still very young and therefore obedient, disappeared.
"I'm puzzled. Guess I'll lose my bet. Here are some of his things that I saw his servant putting away.
"Item:--A full kilt Highland dress, including dirks and sporrans, brogues and a bonnet and crest, and skean dhu mounted in cairngorm. (The kilt is presumedly a clan McTavish tartan one.)
"Item:--A set of great Highland bagpipes."
"Oh, Lord!" cried Guilford the second lieutenant, putting his fingers mechanically to his ears, "go on, Sodjer."
"Item:--A pair of dumb-bells, the fellows you've got to put up you know--80 lbs. each. And," added Sodjer, "my bet's lost, for no man with a bulbous nose could put up things like that."
"Item:--About fifty volumes of scientific books including the British Encyclopædia."
"My bet's lost!" This from the engineer while the first lieutenant smiled.
"Item:--A ram's head snuff box. Twisted horns, tips mounted with silver and cairngorm.
"'The big ha' Bible ance his father's pride.'"
Well, when the surgeon himself did appear, he certainly commanded respect. He was handsome as well as well-built. Indeed among the others he appeared a perfect Hercules as he undoubtedly was an athlete.
Englishmen cannot help admiring an athlete no matter what his nation may be. Then his uniform fitted him well. He appeared to have been melted and poured into it, while little Sneyd's seemed to have been put on with the aid of a hay fork.
The surgeon's smile was a winning one, and there was a quintessence of kindliness lying half asleep in his dark-blue eyes that was very pleasant to behold.
He saluted the first lieutenant most respectfully, and the two men shook hands.
"Glad you've come at last, Surgeon McTavish We shall be friends. You are, I hear, a man of scientific attainments, and I dabble in science myself a little."
In the mess that evening Sneyd had said--
"Look here McTavish, I owe you an apology. I thought no good thing could come out of Nazareth--I mean Aberdeen, but now I cave in."