she was to
remain on board.

A bright look-out was kept for any sail which might heave in sight; for,
though Owen believed that there was no risk of encountering an enemy, it
was still possible that a French privateer might be on the watch to pick
up any merchant vessel which might come within her grasp. The wind
fell, and the _Ouzel Galley_ made but little progress during the night.
Whatever others might have done, Norah did not complain; she was in no
hurry to have the trip over. Dawn had just broken, when, as a mist
which had for some hours hung over the ocean began to clear away, a hand
who had been sent aloft shouted out, "A sail to the southward!" Owen,
who was on deck, at once went to the mast-head to take a look at the
stranger. She was a large ship under all sail, but the mist prevented
him from making out very clearly what she was.

"She is bringing up the breeze," observed Captain Massey, when he
returned on deck; "but as we shall probably get it before long, we may
keep ahead of her."

"We'll try our best to do that same," said the old captain; "it would be
hard to be trapped just as we are going into port."

"I should never forgive myself for having allowed you and Norah to come
on board," said Owen, feeling much more anxious than he would have done
had he been alone.

"Don't trouble yourself about that, lad," answered the captain; "she is
more likely to be a British ship than a Frenchman, and she hasn't got up
to us yet, nor will she, I trust, before we are safe in the Liffey. I
shall be glad, however, when we get the breeze."

They had not long to wait before cat's-paws were seen playing over the
surface of the ocean. The sails were trimmed, and the ship began to
glide through the water; faster and faster she moved, but the stranger
astern still gained on her. Norah soon followed her father on deck, and
the rising sun shining on the white canvas of the ship astern revealed
her more clearly to view.

"Is that ship chasing us?" she asked, with a little trepidation in her
voice.

"She is following in our wake, but she may be a friend for all that,"
answered Owen, anxious not to alarm Norah. "Should she prove to be a
foe, we'll do our best to keep ahead of her. Fortunately, we have a
port to run for, and have every chance of gaining it before she comes up
with us. See, we have the Wicklow mountains already in sight, and it
will not take us many hours to reach Dublin if the wind holds as i