re long, my fine fellow," said the lieutenant.

"Arrah, it'll be a hard matter to do that same," cried Hoolan, but he
spoke in a less savage tone than at first.

"We shall see to that," said Mr Saunders as he passed on to the other
men, most of whom appeared quiet enough. Even Hoolan's followers didn't
venture to say anything, having a just conception of the stern
discipline on board a man-of-war. The execution of one or more seamen
for frequent desertion, of which I have before spoken, showed them that
they could not venture to play tricks with impunity.

Having had their names,--or such as they chose to give,--ages, and other
particulars entered, they were sent down to the main-deck under a strong
guard, with a hint that should they exhibit the slightest degree of
insubordination it would be the worse for them.

The light of a lantern happened to fall on my face while I was passing
Hoolan, who, with the rest, were seated on the deck, where they were to
pass the remainder of the night. He started up, and glaring savagely at
me, with a fierce oath exclaimed, as he stretched out his arm--

"There's one of the young traitors who brought us into this trouble. I
wish we had strung you up to Saint Bridget's oak when we had you and
your uncle in our power."

"Then, as I thought, you are Dan Hoolan," I said. "You have now a
chance of leading an honest life, and I'd advise you to take advantage
of it."

Hoolan, without replying, sank back on the deck.

I was glad enough to turn in, and slept soundly till the hammocks were
piped up next morning.

On coming on deck I saw Blue Peter flying at the masthead of our own
ship, and at those of the two other men-of-war, a frigate and a
corvette, and of all the merchantmen. The admiral fired a signal-gun.
We repeated it, and before the smoke had cleared away the merchantmen
let fall their topsails, we setting them the example; the anchor was
hove up to the merry sound of the fife, and, taking the lead, we stood
out of the Cove of Cork with a fair breeze, the other frigate and
corvette acting as whippers-in.

The sky was clear and the sea smooth. We hove-to outside to wait for
the vessels we were to convoy. In half an hour or so they were all out
of the harbour. Besides the men-of-war there were fully sixty
merchantmen; and a beautiful sight they presented, dotting the blue
ocean with their white sails.

We were bound out to Jamaica, where we were to leave the larger