_Ouzel
Galley_. It is as difficult to describe as to analyse the feelings with
which poor Norah parted with her. She was sorry to lose her friend; she
felt a very natural jealousy of her--or, if it was not jealousy, she
would thankfully have changed places. Still more gladly would she have
gone with her--though not for a moment did an unworthy doubt of her
friend, still less of Owen, enter into her mind. But notwithstanding
this, even had the offer been made to her to go out with Ellen, she
would not have deserted her father. When she and Captain Tracy stood on
the deck of the _Ouzel Galley_, as the stout ship sailed out of harbour,
she succeeded in maintaining her composure. Not, indeed, till the
signal gun was fired for the fleet to get under way, and she and the
captain had taken their seats in the boat to return to the shore, did
she show any signs of the feelings which were agitating her.

"Cheer up, Norah," said the old captain; "we'll pray that they may have
a prosperous voyage and speedy return, and it won't be many months
before we see the _Ouzel Galley_ coming back trim as ever into Waterford
Harbour. Owen will soon make his fortune with the favour of Mr Ferris;
he is a favourite captain, that is evident, and the house can put many a
chance in his way of turning an honest penny. Perhaps after next voyage
the ship will be requiring another repair, and as Owen will then have to
remain for some time on shore, he may think fit to make you his wife,
and I'll not object if he has your consent. I only wish Gerald were
with him; the lad's thrown a good chance away, but he was so bent on
joining the Royal Navy that I hadn't the heart to hinder him, though I
might have been wiser to do so."

Thus the old captain ran on, his remarks contributing not a little to
calm his daughter's feelings and to induce her to look forward hopefully
to the future.

After spending a few days more in Dublin, the captain being employed in
transacting some shipping business for the firm, he and Norah set off
for Waterford, where, in spite of his apprehensions of being attacked by
Rapparees, highwaymen, or abductors, they arrived in safety.

Meantime the _Ouzel Galley_, with about sixty other merchantmen
collected from Liverpool, Glasgow, and various Irish ports, set sail
down Channel, convoyed by the 32-gun frigates, _Thisbe_ and _Druid_, and
the _Champion_ corvette; "Old Blowhard," as he was called, captain of
the _Thisbe_, ac