h of Ireland words and phrases. This is his way of
asserting independence of character. He admires independence.

His office is a singularly unattractive room. He writes at a large
table, and has a fireproof safe at his elbow. There are three wooden
chairs ranged against the wall opposite the writing-table. Four
photographs of steamers, cheaply framed, hang above the chairs. They are
_The Andrew McMunn, The Eliza McMunn_, and, a tribute to the deceased
Jimmy, _The McMunn Brothers_. These form the fleet owned by the firm,
and carry coal from one port to another, chiefly to Belfast. On the
chimney-piece under a glass shade, is a model of _The McMunn Brothers_,
the latest built and largest of the ships.

"Good-morning to you, my lord!" said McMunn, without rising from his
seat.

He nodded towards one of the chairs which stood against the wall. This
was his way of inviting his visitor to sit down. His eyes were fixed,
with strong disapproval, on the cigarette, which still smoked feebly in
Lord Dunseverick's hand.

"Your clerk gave me a hint," said Dunseverick, "that you object to
tobacco."

"It's my opinion," said McMunn, "that the man who pays taxes that he
needn't pay--I'm alluding to the duty on tobacco, you'll understand--for
the sake of poisoning himself with a nasty stink, is little better than
a fool. That's my opinion, and I'm of the same way of thinking about
alcoholic drink."

Lord Dunseverick deposited the offending cigarette on the hearth and
crushed it with his foot.

"Teetotaller?" he said. "I dare say you're right, though I take a
whisky-and-soda myself when I get the chance."

"You'll no get it here," said McMunn; "and what's more, you'll no' get
it on any ship owned by me."

"Thank you. It's as well to understand before-hand."

"I'm a believer in speaking plain," said McMunn. "There's ay less
chance of trouble afterwards if a man speaks plain at the start. But
I'm thinking that it wasn't to hear my opinion on the Christian religion
that your lordship came here the day."

McMunn, besides being a teetotaller, and opposed to the smoking of
tobacco, was the president of a Young Men's Anti-Gambling League. He
was, therefore, in a position to throw valuable light on the Christian
religion.

"I came to settle the details about this expedition to Hamburg," said
Lord Dunseverick.

"Well," said McMunn, "there's no that much left to settle. _The
Brothers_ is ready."

"_The Brothers?_"

"_The McMu