lf he will be sure to be set upon, and
all his strength and courage will avail him nothing. He is a brave man,
your captain, and I wish him well."

"Why, how do you know anything about him?" asked one of the midshipmen.
"I did not know he had ever been here before."

"Mad Kathleen knows more things than you wot of," answered the mad
woman, with a loud laugh, whirling her hands as she spoke. "Now, go to
the Castle as I bid you, and give him my message. He would run more
risk by neglecting my warning than if he were to fight a dozen battles
for his king and country."

Though the midshipmen were little inclined to put much belief in the
message of the mad creature, they promised to deliver it as soon as they
met their captain. After consulting together, they agreed that their
proper course was to row along the bay towards the Castle, in the hopes
that he might have gone there.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

As the commander of the corvette was about to descend the glen, his
attention was arrested by the faint tramp of horses' hoofs passing
rapidly over the downs. He turned his head and at that instant saw a
young lady on horseback, not far from him, cantering gaily along, while
at a short distance behind her was another lady, followed by a groom.
At that moment the figure of the mad woman, which had a short time
before appeared to him, rose suddenly from behind the ground where he
had last seen her. She uttered a wild shriek; the effect was to make
the leading horse start and rear violently. The animal, apparently, was
not well broken in. Again and again it reared, backing down towards the
edge of the cliff. The young officer saw the lady's danger, and in an
instant sprang towards her. She uttered a shriek as she discovered how
fearfully near the edge of the cliff her horse had carried her. The
officer grasped her bridle, but in vain tried to draw back the
frightened animal. It seemed resolved to throw itself over the
precipice. In another moment the lady and her steed would have been
carried to destruction.

"Throw yourself from your saddle, and trust to me," exclaimed the young
officer imploringly.

She cast herself forward and fell into his arms. Alas! her habit caught
in the stirrup. Again the horse reared.

"I will perish with her," exclaimed the young man mentally. Happily,
the skirt tore, and in another moment was disengaged; while the
frightened animal, with one bound, leaped over the cliff. So