ication was quite completed, and
so for want of a better profession took up with that of merchandise. Ah,
the love of the drop at college has prevented many a clever young fellow
from taking holy orders. Well, it's a pity but it can't be helped. I am
fond of a drop myself, and when we get to--shall be happy to offer your
honour a glass of whiskey. I hope your honour and I shall splice the
mainbrace together before we part."

"I suppose," said I, "by your talking of splicing the mainbrace that you
are a sailor."

"I am, your honour, and hail from the Cove of Cork in the kingdom of
Munster."

"I know it well," said I, "it is the best sea-basin in the world. Well,
how came you into these parts?"

"I'll tell your honour; my ship is at Swansea, and having a relation
working at the foundry behind us I came to see him."

"Are you in the royal service?"

"I am not, your honour; I was once in the royal service, but having a
dispute with the boatswain at Spithead, I gave him a wipe, jumped
overboard and swam ashore. After that I sailed for Cuba, got into the
merchants' service there, and made several voyages to the Black Coast.
At present I am in the service of the merchants of Cork."

"I wonder that you are not now in the royal service," said I, "since you
are so fond of fighting. There is hot work going on at present up the
Black Sea, and brave men, especially Irishmen, are in great request."

"Yes, brave Irishmen are always in great request with England when she
has a battle to fight. At other times they are left to lie in the mud
with the chain round their necks. It has been so ever since the time of
De Courcy, and I suppose always will be so, unless Irishmen all become of
my mind, which is not likely. Were the Irish all of my mind, the English
would find no Irish champion to fight their battles when the French or
the Russians come to beard them."

"By De Courcy," said I, "you mean the man whom the King of England
confined in the Tower of London after taking from him his barony in the
county of Cork."

"Of course, your honour, and whom he kept in the Tower till the King of
France sent over a champion to insult and beard him, when the king was
glad to take De Courcy out of the dungeon to fight the French champion,
for divil a one of his own English fighting men dared take the Frenchman
in hand."

"A fine fellow that De Courcy," said I.

"Rather too fond of the drop though, like your honour and myself,