father in faith,

"Urtagh McGrath."

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO.

GOOD SENSE IN SWINBURNE--NO MAN A HERO TO HIS "VALET DE CHAMBRE," OR A
PROPHET IN HIS OWN COUNTRY--O'BRIEN TAKES A STEP BY STRATEGY--O'BRIEN
PARTS WITH HIS FRIEND, AND PETER'S STAR IS NO LONGER IN THE ASCENDANT.

O'Brien was sorry for the death of his father, but he could not feel as
most people would have done, as his father had certainly never been a
father to him. He was sent to sea to be got rid of, and ever since he
had been there had been the chief support of his family: his father was
very fond of whisky, and not very fond of exertion. He was too proud of
the true Milesian blood in his veins, to do anything to support himself;
but not too proud to live upon his son's hard-earned gains. For his
mother O'Brien felt very much; she had always been kind and
affectionate, and was very fond of him. Sailors, however, are so
estranged from their families, when they have been long in their
profession, and so accustomed to vicissitudes, that no grief for the
loss of a relation lasts very long, and, in a week, O'Brien had
recovered his usual spirits, when a vessel brought us the intelligence
that a French squadron had been seen off St. Domingo. This put us all
on the _qui vive_. O'Brien was sent for by the admiral, and ordered to
hasten his brig for sea with all possible despatch, as he was to proceed
with despatches to England forthwith. In three days we were reported
ready, received our orders, and at eight o'clock in the evening made
sail from Carlisle Bay.

"Well, Mr Swinburne," said I, "how do you like your new situation?"

"Why, Mr Simple, I like it well enough, and it's not disagreeable to be
an officer, and sit in your own cabin; but still, I feel that I should
get on better, if I were in another ship. I've been hail fellow well
met with the ship's company so long, that I can't top the officer over
them, and we can't get the duty done as smart as I could wish; and then,
at night, I find it very lonely, stuck up in my cabin like a parson's
clerk, and nobody to talk to; for the other warrants are particular, and
say that I'm only acting, and may not be confirmed, so they hold aloof.
I don't much like being answerable for all that lot of gunpowder--it's
queer stuff to handle."

"Very true, Swinburne; but still, if there were no responsibility, we
should require no officers. You recollect that you are now provided for
for life, and will have