wn
to my hammock before my watch was half over. Until that time, I walked
the deck with O'Brien, who was a very pleasant companion, and taught me
everything that he could, connected with my profession. One night, when
he had the middle watch, I told him I should like very much if he would
give me the history of his life. "That I will, my honey," replied he,
"all that I can remember of it, though I have no doubt but that I've
forgotten the best part of it. It's now within five minutes of two
bells, so we'll heave the log and mark the board, and then I'll spin you
a yarn, which will keep us both from going to sleep." O'Brien reported
the rate of sailing to the master, marked it down on the log-board, and
then returned.

"So now, my boy, I'll come to an anchor on the top-sail halyard rack,
and you may squeeze your thread-paper little carcass under my lee, and
then I'll tell you all about it. First and foremost, you must know that
I am descended from the great O'Brien Borru, who was a king in his time,
but that time's past. I suppose, as the world turns round, my
children's children's posterity may be kings again, although there seems
but little chance of it just now; but there's ups and downs on a grand
scale, as well as in a man's own history, and the wheel of fortune keeps
turning for the comfort of those who are at the lowest spoke, as I may
be just now. To cut the story a little shorter, I skip down to my
great-grandfather, who lived like a real gentleman, as he was, upon his
ten thousand a year. At last he died, and eight thousand of the ten was
buried with him. My grandfather followed his father all in good course
of time, and only left my father about one hundred acres of bog to keep
up the dignity of the family. I am the youngest of ten, and devil a
copper have I but my pay, or am I likely to have. You may talk about
_descent_, but a more _descending_ family than mine was never in
existence, for here am I with twenty-five pounds a-year, and a half-pay
of `nothing a-day, and find myself,' when my great ancestor did just
what he pleased with all Ireland, and everybody in it. Father McGrath,
the priest, who lived with my father, taught me the elements, as they
call them. I thought I had enough of the elements then, but I've seen a
deal more of them since. `Terence,' says my father to me one day, `what
do you mane to do?' `To get my dinner, sure,' replied I, for I was not
a little hungry. `And so you s