sition of the brig.

Having put away the chart, and waited a few minutes for Miss Onslow--who
had announced her intention of going on deck--we both made our way up
the companion ladder, and took a few turns fore and aft the weather side
of the deck, together, from the wheel grating to the wake of the main
rigging. My companion was in high spirits at the favourable turn that
seemed to have occurred in our affairs, and was chatting with me in
animated tones as to what would be best to do upon our arrival in Cape
Town, when O'Gorman, who had been forward among the crew, came slouching
aft along the deck, in true shell-back fashion, and, with the rather
abrupt salutation of "Morning misther; mornin', miss," unceremoniously
joined us.

"Well, O'Gorman, what is it?" said I, for I had met and spoken to him
several times already on that same morning, and imagined that he now had
some matter of ship's business to discuss with me.

"I see you takin' a hobseirwashin just now," he remarked.

"Yes," I answered, finding that he paused as though expecting me to
reply.

"D'ye mane to say, thin, that ye're a navigator?" he demanded.

"Certainly I am," I answered, rather testily, my temper rising slightly
at what I considered the boorish familiarity of his tone and manner,
which I determined to at once check--"what of it, pray?"

"Well, ye see, we didn't know--you didn't tell us yesterday--that you
was a navigator," he returned, leering curiously at me out of his eye
corners.

"Was there any particular reason why I should inform you that I happen
to be a sailor?" I demanded, fast getting really angry at this
impertinent inquisition into my qualifications.

"Oh," he retorted, "av coorse we all knew you was a sailor-man; we could
see that widout anny tellin'. But a navigator too--bedad, that makes a
mighty differ!"

"In what way, pray?" demanded I. "Have you been drinking, this morning,
O'Gorman?"

"The divil a dhrop," he returned. And then, before I could say another
word, he abruptly turned and walked forward again, saying something to
the men on deck as he went, who instantly dropped such work as they were
engaged upon, and followed him below into the forecastle.

I was astounded--fairly taken aback--at this extraordinary behaviour, an
explanation of which I was determined to demand at once. With this view
I turned to Miss Onslow, whose arm was linked in mine, and requested her
to kindly excuse me for a moment.

"