or him; and he may catch the
yellow fever in looking after it," said he, laughing.

While listening to this short dialogue I had contrived to approach a
light which gleamed from the cabin window, and then took the opportunity
to count over my wealth, amounting, as I supposed, to some seven or
eight shillings. Guess my surprise to see that the pieces were all
bright yellow gold,--eight shining sovereigns!

I had but that instant made the discovery, when the sailor who was to
put me on shore jumped into the boat and seated himself.

"Wait one instant," cried I. "Sir Dudley--Sir Dudley Broughton!"

"Well, what's the matter?" said he, leaning over the side.

"This money you gave me--"

"Not enough, of course! I ought to have known that," said he,
scornfully. "Give the whelp a couple of half-crowns, Halkett, and send
him adrift."

"You 're wrong, sir," cried I, with passionate eagerness; "they are gold
pieces,--sovereigns."

"The devil they are!" cried he, laughing; "the better luck yours. Why
did n't you hold your tongue about it?"

"You bid me take some shillings, sir," answered I.

"How d--d honest you must be! Do you hear that, Halkett? The fellow had
scruples about taking his prize-money! Never mind, boy, I must pay for
my blunder,--you may keep them now."

"I have pride, too," cried I; "and hang me if I touch them."

He stared at me, without speaking, for a few minutes, and then said, in
a low, flat voice, "Come on deck, lad." I obeyed; and he took a lighted
lantern from the binnacle, and held it up close to my face, and then
moved it so that he made a careful examination of my whole figure.

"I 'd give a crown to know who was your father," said he, dryly.

"Con Cregan, of Kilbeggan, sir."

"Oh, of course, I know all that. Come, now, what say you to try a bit of
life afloat? Will you stay here?"

"Will you take me, sir?" cried I, in ecstasy.

"Halkett, rig him out," said he, shortly. "Nip the anchor with the ebb,
and keep your course down channel." With this he descended the cabin
stairs and disappeared, while I, at a signal from Halkett, stepped down
the ladder into the steerage. In the mean while it will not be deemed
digressionary if I devote a few words to the singular character into
whose society I was now thrown, inasmuch as to convey any candid
narrative of my own career I must speak of those who, without
influencing the main current of my life, yet certainly gave some impulse
and direction