I
suspected," cried he, warmly. "When a man cracks on all that he can
carry, and more than is safe, you at least give him credit for knowing
the channel, and understanding its bearings; but when he tells you that
he neither knows the course nor the soundings, why you set him down as
mad."

"I shall not be very far removed from that condition if you'll not
condescend to explain yourself more freely," said Cashel, with some
irritation of manner. "Where is this danger? and what is it?"

Sickleton looked at him for a second or two, then at the old peer; and,
at last, with a scarcely perceptible movement of his head, motioned
towards the door by which Lady Kilgoff had just passed out.

"You surely cannot mean--you do not suppose--"

"No matter what I suppose; all I say is, there are worse breakers ahead
of you just now than the 'Lucciola' had last night; haul your wind, and
draw off while you have time. Besides, look yonder,"--and he pointed
with a jerk of his thumb to Lord Kilgoff, who still sat with stolid gaze
fixed upon the red embers of the fire,--"that would be a victory with
but little honor!"

Cashel started to his feet, and, passing his hand over his forehead,
seemed, as it were, trying to disabuse his mind of some painful
illusion. His features, flushed and animated an instant before, had
grown almost livid in pallor; and he stood, with one hand leaning on the
chair from which he had risen, like one recovering from a fainting
fit At last, and with a voice husky and hoarse from emotion, he said,
"Sickleton, if I had thought this--if, I say, I even believed what you
hint at possible--"

"Pooh! pooh!" broke in the other; "why anchor in three fathoms when
you 've deep water beside you? You 'll not hug a lee-shore with a fresh
breeze on your quarter; and all I ask is, that you 'd not risk the loss
of that noble craft merely that you may spoil the wreck."

Cashel grasped the rough seaman's hand in both his own, and shook it
with warmth.

"I can only say this," said the bluff lieutenant, rising, "if such be
the object of your cruises, you must seek another shipmate than Bob
Sickleton; and so good-night."

"Are you going?" said Cashel, with a sorrowful voice. "I wish you were
not about to leave thus."

"I have given you your bearings; that ought to be enough for you.
Good-night, once more." And with this the honest-hearted lieutenant
threw his boat-cloak around him, and sallied forth to the door, before
whic