you have given me; and now you've had some rest and food, if you'll come
in with me to Waterford, I'll give you a fresh rig out, and you can cast
away the rags you've got on your back."

"Faith, yer honour, I'm in luck thin. I'm ready to walk a dozen miles
or more," exclaimed Larry, jumping up; and, giving a bow with his
battered hat and a scrape of the foot, he added, "The top of the morning
to you, young lady, and a thousand thanks. It's put fresh life into my
heart. Shure, I hope the gentleman you've been inquiring after will
come back alive some bright day."

Followed by Larry, the captain hurried into Waterford, where, having got
the seaman rigged out from top to toe in a new suit of clothing, he
repaired to Ferris, Twigg, and Cash's office. He there wrote a letter
to the firm in Dublin, giving an account of the information he had just
received, and urging them to advance the sum required to enable the
_Research_ to proceed on her voyage. Soon after he had despatched the
letter, Captain O'Brien arrived, bringing with him two mates and eight
good men.

"And now, old friend," he said, "as I've neither wife nor daughter at
home to pipe their eyes at the thoughts of my going, and old Molly, my
housekeeper, however unhappy she may be at first, will soon be
reconciled to my absence, I've made up my mind to offer myself as a
passenger, to help look after Mistress Norah, in case anything should
happen to you. Will you take me?"

"With all my heart," answered Captain Tracy. "I shall be glad of your
society on my own account, and still more for Norah's sake; for, though
I feel as strong and hearty as I did a dozen years ago, yet it may be
Heaven's will to call me, and it would be a comfort to my heart to think
that Norah was left with a friend to protect her till Owen Massey should
appear to claim her as his own."

"That matter is settled then, and I'll just have my traps packed up and
give directions to old Molly to take care of the house till my return,"
said Captain O'Brien. "Having done that, I'll be quickly aboard to take
charge till you appear, as I've already sent the mates and the men I
brought over on board to keep them out of harm's way. I've also given
notice that a few prime hands are wanted, and I hope to pick up two or
three old shipmates in whom I can place perfect confidence."

As the two old captains left the office they met Larry Cregan, looking a
very different being to what he had done a f