"Arrah, howld your prate," said a deep voice, "the gentleman hasn't time
to bless himself."

"It's me, sir; Owen Daly, that has the black horse."

"More by token, with a spavin," whispered another; while a roar of
laughter followed the joke.

"A car, sir--take you up in five minutes."

"A chaise, your honour--do the thing dacently."

Now, whether my hesitation at this moment was set down by the crowd of
my solicitors to some doubt of my solvency or not, I cannot say; but
true it is, their tone of obsequious entreaty gradually changed into one
of rather caustic criticism.

"Maybe it's a gossoon you'd like to carry the little trunk."

"Let him alone; it's only a carpet-bag; he'll carry it himself."

"Don't you see the gentleman would rather walk; and as the night is
fine, 'tis pleasanter--and--cheaper."

"Take you for a fipp'ny bit and a glass of sparits," said a gruff voice
in my ear.

By this time I had collected my luggage together, whose imposing
appearance seemed once more to testify in my favour, particularly the
case of my cocked-hat, which to my ready-witted acquaintances proclaimed
me a military man. A general rush was accordingly made upon my luggage;
and while one man armed himself with a portmanteau, another laid hands
on a trunk, a third a carpet-bag, a fourth a gun-case, and so on until
I found myself keeping watch and ward over my epaulet-case and my
umbrella, the sole remnant of my effects. At the same moment a burst
of laughter and a half shout broke from the crowd, and a huge, powerful
fellow jumped on the deck, and, seizing me by the arm, cried out,

"Come along now, Captain, it's all right. This way--this way, sir."

"But why am I to go with you?" said I, vainly struggling to escape his
grasp.

"Why is it?" said he, with a chuckling laugh; "reason enough--didn't we
toss up for ye, and didn't I win ye."

"Win me!"

"Ay; just that same."

By this time I found myself beside a car, upon which all my luggage was
already placed.

"Get up, now," said he.

"It's a beautiful car, and a dhry cushion," added a voice near, to the
manifest mirth of the bystanders.

Delighted to escape my tormentors, I sprang up opposite to him, while
a cheer, mad and wild enough for a tribe of Iroquois, yelled behind us.
Away We rattled over the pavement, without lamp or lantern to guide our
path, while the sea dashed its foam across our faces, and the rain beat
in torrents upon our backs.

"Where to, Cap