abashed.

"You advance small loans of money on approved security, Driscoll,"
said Dunn, with a dry expression of the mouth. "Perhaps some of these
mornings you may be applied to for a few hundreds by a young fellow
wishing to purchase his commission,--you understand me?"

"I believe I do," said Driscoll, with a significant smile.

"You 'll not be too hard on him for the terms, especially if he has any
old family papers to deposit as security,--eh?"

"Just so--just so. A mere nominal guarantee," said Driscoll, still
laughing. "Oh, dear! but it's a queer world, and one has to work his
wits hard to live in it." And with this philosophic explanation of
life's trials, Mr. Driscoll took his leave of Dunn, and walked homeward.

CHAPTER XXVI. THE OSTEND PACKET

It was a wild, stormy night, with fast-flying clouds above, and a heavy
rolling sea below, as the "Osprey" steamed away for Ostend, her closed
hatchways and tarpaulined sailors, as well as her sea-washed deck and
dripping cordage, telling there was "dirty weather outside." Though the
waves broke over the vessel as she lay at anchor, and the short distance
between the shore and her gangway had to be effected at peril of life,
the captain had his mail, and was decided on sailing. There were but
three passengers: two went aboard with the captain; the third was
already on deck when they arrived, and leisurely paraded up and down
with his cigar, stopping occasionally to look at the lights on shore, or
cast a glance towards the wild chaos of waves that raged without.

"Safe now, I suppose, Grog?" muttered Beecher, as the vessel, loosed
from her last mooring, turned head to sea out of the harbor.

"I rather suspect you are," said Davis, as he struck a light for his
cigar. "Few fellows would like to swim out here with a judge's warrant
in his mouth such a night as this."

"I don't like it overmuch myself," said Beecher; "there's a tremendous
sea out there, and she's only a cockleshell after all."

"A very tidy one, sir, in a sea, I promise you," said the Captain,
overhearing, while with his trumpet he bellowed forth some directions to
the sailors.

"You've no other passengers than ourselves, have you?" asked Beecher.

"Only that gentleman yonder," whispered the Captain, pointing towards
the stranger.

"Few, I take it, fancy coming out in such weather," said Beecher.

"Very few, sir, if they have n't uncommonly strong reasons for crossing
the water," replie