iling her untimely fate; and between
the paroxysms of her grief she found time now and again to scold her son
Maurice, who was enjoying himself most delightfully amongst the floating
baggage, narrowly escaping destruction every moment from the wreck of
the debris on the cabin floor, as it banged to and fro with the swish of
the water and the roll of the ship.

During one of the lulls in the series of squalls that swept over the
vessel in rapid sequence, Mr McCarthy came below by the direction of
the captain--who, of course, could not leave the deck--to see how the
passengers were getting on, as well as to have the dead-lights put up in
the state-rooms, in case of the stern-ports being battered in by the
waves; for these had now swollen to an enormous size, and seemed
veritably mountains high, rising up far above the cross-jack yard
sometimes.

"And how are we getting on now, Mrs Meejor?" said he, good-humouredly
addressing the lady at the head of the table, as he made his way to the
aftermost end of the saloon, followed by a couple of sailors, who had
accompanied him to aid him in his task of barricading the ports.

"Sir," replied she, endeavouring to speak with as much dignity as her
insecure position and her qualmishness would allow, "I am surprised at
your asking me such a question and displaying levity when I feel as if I
am dying, and we are all going down to the bottom--stee-ured!"

"Yes, mum," said that worthy from the pantry door, to which he was
holding on, surveying the scene of desolation before him with the air of
a connoisseur.

"Bring a basin, please--oh, my!"

"Yes, mum; coming, mum."

"Maurice!"

"Yes, ma."

"Get up out of that mess there, and come to me at once!"

"What, ma?"

"Come to me here, im-mediately!"

"Sha'n't!"

"I'll--oh, Lord; oh, dear! Steward, send the stewardess to me, and help
me into my cabin. I'm dying, I know I am! Oh, gracious goodness, why
did I ever come to sea?"

"Faix, the ould lady has had to give in," said the mate to one of the
sailors with him. "I thought she wouldn't hould out much longer!"
whereat, of course, there was a general laugh from the men.

"The Major"--as everybody on board spoke of the lady, almost after a
day's acquaintance with her peculiarities and haughty airs--was just
then endeavouring to rise from the captain's chair, when the vessel,
after a deeper pitch forward than usual, settled down suddenly by the
stern, accompanying the move