Complete New Tales of Para Handy by Stuart Donald

telegraph-handle had stayed in the wan piece the accident would never have happened, so part of the blame had to be wi’ the shup.
    â€œForbye, the reputation o’ the man had reached Gleska and the clerks in the Heid Office wass able to see that the Handa wass earnin’ more money than ever for Mr MacBrayne, what wi’ aal the folk thinkin’ it wass a privilege to sail wi’ sich a chentleman for Captain.
    â€œSo while the Handa wass awa’ bein’ repaired, Mr MacBrayne made Jeck First Officer on the Flowerdale on the Outer Isles service. Though she wassna his own command, she wass a much bigger shup wi’ a lot o’ prestige, and Jeck took to her to the manner born.
    â€œPretty soon he wass enchoyin’ the same sort of reputation wi’ the Flowerdale in Castlebay ass wi’ the Handa in Tobermory. She used to lie over at Barra from six in the evening till early the followin’ mornin’ and Jeck wass aye welcome in the hooses in Castlebay, for he wass a fine cheerie chap and carried a perty aboot wi’ him whereffer he went. There wass many a gyurl in Castlebay had her kep set on Jeck but he wass havin’ too mich of a spree to be thinkin’ o’ settlin’ doon, and mony’s the hert he broke in the months that followed.
    â€œThe trouble came at the year’s end. The Flowerdale tied up at Castlebay on Hogmanay evenin’ and since she wassna sailin’ till fower o’clock next mornin’ Jeck went ashore to tak’ a ne’erday dram or two with a wheen o’ his Barra friends. He took the enchineers wi’ him, for Jeck wass aye verra considerate of the boys who made possible aal the speed he could get oot o’ the shup, and aal the manoeuvrability she had, for Jeck could turn her on a postage stamp, her havin’ two propellers.
    â€œHe could caal for full astern port, full ahead starboard, and spin her roon’ in her ain length like a peerie in a close. Jeck took great pleasure in showin’ his agility wi’ the shup and it’s a good thing that Captain McKissock was fast asleep in his cabin when Jeck wass in cherge, for he wass a true chentleman of the old school and would not have looked kindly on Jeck’s high-jinks and cheneral frivolity.
    â€œOnyway, that Hogmanay nicht, Jeck and the enchineers got back on board chust before sailing time. Jeck wass in fine trum, but he could carry his dram like a chentleman and nobody wud have known it. The enchineers wass feelin’ no pain either, but since they were oot o’ sight o’ the cheneral public it didna really matter what they looked like.
    â€œJeck headed for the brudge, the enchineers for their control room, and at fower o’clock off they set like hey-ma-nanny for Coll and Tiree.
    â€œFor more than three hoors Flowerdale tore through the watter like a greyhound, Jeck hummin’ a whole repertaree of Gaelic song to himsel’ in the wheelhouse and the helmsman on watch tap-tappin’ the time wi’ his feet.
    â€œChust gone half past seven in the mornin’, wi the dawn comin’ up fast over the hills of Ardnamurchan, Jeck wass connin’ her into the bay at Arinagour on Coll at near on 18 knots, a beautiful sight for the folk launchin’ the passenger flit-boat aff the beach, as the shup came hurtlin’ roon’ the headland wi’ a rake on her like Jeck’s kep on a Setturday night.
    â€œThe lads in the flit-boat had seen the sheer poetry and drama o’ Jeck’s arrivals at Arinagour often enough in the past weeks but it wass aalways an impressive performance. He wud head her straight for the beach and wait till the very last possible moment on the brudge wing afore he rang doon for full astern port, full ahead starboard, and spun her roond in her length and dropped the anchor.
    â€œHe wass determined to get the New Year aff wi’ a bang and he hung on and on, draped casual