ed,
half-reclining, on the branch of a tree not ten feet from the ground,
and clasping another branch tightly with both arms.

At that moment, Ailie, who had awakened, ran up, and caught Glynn by the
hand.

"Hallo! Briant!" exclaimed Glynn.

A very loud snore was the reply.

"Briant! Phil Briant, I say; hallo! Phil!" shouted Glynn.

"Arrah! howld yer noise will ye," muttered the still sleeping
man--"sno--o--o--o--re!"

"A fall! a fall!--all hands ahoy! tumble up there, tumble up!" shouted
Glynn, in the nautical tones which he well knew would have their effect
upon his comrade.

He was right. They had more than their usual effect on him. The
instant he heard them, Phil Briant shouted--"Ay, ay, sir!" and, throwing
his legs over the side of what he supposed to be his hammock, he came
down bodily on what he supposed to be the deck with a whack that caused
him to utter an involuntary but tremendous howl.

"Oh! och! oh! murther! oh whirra!" he cried, as he lay half-stunned.
"Oh, it's kilt I am entirely--dead as mutton at last, an' no mistake.
Sure I might have knowd it--och! worse luck! Didn't yer poor owld
mother tell ye, Phil, that ye'd come to a bad end--she did--"

"Are ye badly hurt?" said Glynn, stooping over his friend in real alarm.

At the sound of his voice Briant ceased his wails, rose into a sitting
posture, shaded his eyes with his hand (a most unnecessary proceeding
under the circumstances), and stared at him.

"It's me, Phil; all right, and Ailie. We've escaped, and got safe back
again."

"It's jokin' ye are," said Briant, with the imbecile smile of a man who
only half believes what he actually sees. "I'm draimin', that's it. Go
away, avic, an' don't be botherin' me."

"It's quite true, though, I assure you, my boy. I've managed to give
the niggers the slip; and here's Ailie, too, all safe, and ready to
convince you of the fact."

Phil Briant looked at one and then at the other in unbounded amazement
for a few seconds, after which he gave a short laugh as if of pity for
his own weakness, and his face assumed a mild aspect as he said softly,
"It's all a draim, av coorse it is!" He even turned away his eyes for a
moment in order to give the vision time to dissipate. But on looking
round again, there it was, as palpable as ever. Faith in the fidelity
of his own eyesight returned in a moment, and Phil Briant, forgetting
his bodily pains, sprang to his feet with a roar of joy, seized A