urney.

"As I've been playing the part of host, I can't be so rude as to leave
you at table, gentlemen."

The hint, as he intended it to be, was too broad not to be taken, and
those whose brains had still some sense left in them rose to take their
departure, hoisting the others in a friendly way out of their seats,
when arm-in-arm they staggered to the door.

"The ladies have retired, so you need not stop to pay your farewell
respects to them," said my uncle; and he told Dan Bourke, who was in the
hall, to order the gossoons to bring round the gentlemen's horses. Some
mounted without difficulty, but others had to be helped up on their
steeds by my brothers-in-law and Denis. I thought they would have
tumbled off.

"They'll be all to rights when once in their saddles," said Denis.
"They're accustomed to ride home in that state. To be shure, one of
them now and then dislocates his neck or breaks his head, but that's a
trifle. It's too common a way for an Irish gentleman to end his mortal
career for anything to be thought of it."

"I hope, Denis, that you'll not be after following their example," I
remarked.

"Faith, the major keeps me in too strict order for that at present," he
said; "I don't know what I should do if I hadn't his eye upon me, but
I'll acknowledge I have no wish to become a brute beast, as some of them
are."

My first day at home was over. I felt less happy than I had expected.
My father's melancholy condition,--my mother's sorrow, which she in vain
tried to conceal,--and the fallen fortunes of the family, damped my
spirits. My brothers-in-law were fine young fellows, but not altogether
what I liked; and my sisters were graver than they used to be.
Everything about the house looked in a dilapidated condition. My mother
and sisters wore old dresses; the furniture was faded; the servants, if
not ragged, were but poorly habited. Had it not been for the major, the
family, I suspect, would long ere this have been turned out of house and
home. I must not spend much time in describing my life at Castle
Ballinahone. I soon got tired of it, and began to wish myself at sea
again, for I knew that my only chance of promotion was to keep afloat.
I told the major. He said that he perfectly agreed with me, and that he
would at once write to Captain Macnamara, who was in London, and to two
or three other friends, and ask them to try and get me appointed to a
ship without delay. After I had been at hom