stationed there, no ship on
a dark night and bad weather would willingly run through this channel,"
he observed. "But now it can be done as safely as in the broadest
daylight, or indeed even more so."

"But I see two lights close together," said Julia.

"Yes," answered Jack, "one is at each mast-head of the vessel. It can
thus be distinguished from the larger light of the Longships, which is a
single light of much greater power. We can also thus distinguish the
Longships from the revolving light of Saint Agnes, on the southern rocks
of Scilly. You can see it low down over the port quarter. Now you see
it is hidden, but it will appear again in another minute, whereas the
Longships light is fixed and is always visible."

As Murray had prognosticated, the wind moderated, and the _Stella_ had a
pleasant run across the mouth of the Bristol Channel, sighting the
Smalls light-house the next forenoon to the westward of Milford Haven on
the starboard hand, the revolving Tuscar lights off the Irish coast
being seen over the port quarter as it grew dark.

The wind now fell, and not until next morning did a light breeze spring
up, which wafted the _Stella_ along the Wicklow coast. Just before dark
she brought up in the beautiful Bay of Dublin, the wind not allowing her
to get into Kingstown harbour. Adair being especially anxious to go on
shore to learn how it fared with Desmond, the boat was manned, and Jack
accompanied him on shore, the ladies preferring to remain on board.

The eventful day of the trial was over, and already it had been decided
whether Gerald Desmond was to remain a poor lieutenant with his half-pay
alone to depend upon, or become the owner of a handsome estate--albeit
somewhat encumbered--and the possessor of a title, at all events worth
something, whatever cynics might think about the matter. Jack felt
almost as much interested as Adair, and could talk of nothing else
during their passage up to Dublin. The crew seemed to guess there was
something in the wind, and gave way with a will. On arriving at Dublin,
having sent the boat back to the yacht, they hastened up to the
residence of the Counsellor McMahon, with whom Desmond was staying.
They intended to sleep that night in Dublin, and to return the next
morning by way of Kingstown to the _Stella_.

Captain Adair, excited by his feelings, pulled the bell with more than
his usual vehemence.

"Is Counsellor McMahon at home?" he asked.

"No, yo