od, "the steamer sails on Saturday, and
we'll go in it. Here he comes, as though he was in a great hurry!"

"Don't say anything, and see whether he will know us!"

"Why shouldn't he?"

"You know we've grown a good deal since he was here, and the beard is
getting so stiff on my chin that it scratches my hand every time I touch
it."

"Yes; that mustache, too, is making you look as fierce as a Bluebeard;
but here he is!"

At this instant Tim O'Rooney came opposite them. He merely glanced up,
puffed harder than ever and was passing on, when both burst out in a
loud laugh.

"Be the powers! what's the mather with ye spalpeens?" he angrily
demanded. "Can't a dacent man be passing the sthrats widout being
insulted----Howly mother! is it yerselves or is it your grandfathers?"

He had recognized them, and a hearty hand-shaking followed. Tim grinned
a great deal over his mistake, and answered their questions in his dry,
witty way, and assured them that his instructions were to bring them
home as soon as possible. Accordingly, they embarked on the steamer on
the following Saturday; and, passing over the unimportant incidents of
their voyage, we come back to our starting point, where all three were
within a day's journey of their destination.

CHAPTER II.

FIRE.

"To-morrow we shall be home," said Elwood Brandon, addressing his
companion, although at the time he was looking out on the moon-lit sea,
in the direction of California.

"Yes; if nothing unexpected happens," replied his cousin, who was
pushing and drawing a large Newfoundland dog that lay at his feet.

"And what can happen?" asked his cousin, turning abruptly toward him.

"A hundred things. Suppose the boiler should blow up, we run on a rock,
take fire, or get struck by a squall----"

"Or be carried away in a balloon," was the impatient exclamation. "One
is just as likely to happen as the other."

"Hardly--heigh-ho!"

Howard at that moment had twined his feet around the neck of Terror, the
Newfoundland, and the mischievous dog, springing suddenly to his feet,
brought his master from his seat to the deck, which, as a matter of
course, made both of the cousins laugh.

"He did that on purpose," said Howard, recovering his position.

"Of course he did. You have been pestering him for the last half-hour,
and he is getting tired of it; but I may say, Howard, I shall hardly be
able to sleep to-night, I am so anxious to see father and mother."

"So