ghter. And true enough she confessed that
a handsomer and finer fellow than Jack she had never seen, and she was very
willing to be his wife.

Jack sent for his poor old mother and brought her to the wedding, which
lasted nine days and nine nights, every night better than the other. All
the lords and ladies and gentry of Ireland were at the wedding. I was at
it, too, and got brogues, broth and slippers of bread and came jigging home
on my head.

THE TALE OF THE POINTER TRAY

In a voyage which I made to the East Indies with Captain Hamilton, I took a
favorite pointer with me; he was, to use a common phrase, worth his weight
in gold, for he never deceived me. One day, when we were, by the best
observations we could make, at least three hundred leagues from land, my
dog pointed. I observed him for nearly an hour with astonishment, and
mentioned the circumstance to the captain and every officer on board,
asserting that we must be near land, for my dog smelt game. This occasioned
a general laugh; but that did not alter in the least the good opinion I had
of my dog. After much conversation _pro_ and _con_, I boldly told the
captain that I placed more confidence in Tray's nose than I did in the eyes
of every seaman on board; and therefore boldly proposed laying the sum I
had agreed to pay for my passage (viz., one hundred guineas) that we should
find game within half an hour. The captain (a good hearty fellow) laughed
again, desired Mr. Crawford, the surgeon, who was prepared, to feel my
pulse. He did so, and reported me in perfect health. The following dialogue
between them took place; I overheard it, though spoken low and at some
distance:--

Captain. His brain is turned; I cannot with honor accept his wager.

Surgeon. I am of a different opinion. He is quite sane, and depends more
upon the scent of his dog than he will upon the judgment of all the
officers on board; he will certainly lose, and he richly merits it.

Captain. Such a wager cannot be fair on my side; however, I'll take him up,
if I return his money afterwards.

During the above conversation, Tray continued in the same situation, and
confirmed me still more in my opinion. I proposed the wager a second time;
it was then accepted.

[Illustration: When behold, they found no less than six brace of live
partridges!]

Done! and done! were scarcely said on both sides, when some sailors who
were fishing in the long boat, which was made fast to th