ger, Desmond, to know how you reached this said `small
kingdom' of yours," said Green.

"I'll tell you all about it as we pull off," answered Gerald, "though I
am anxious to see my uncle's honest face again and to learn how things
have gone on at home--whether any other claimant has taken possession of
my title and estate. Poor fellow! he won't bless this island, whatever
you do, for having afforded me shelter, though it may be a mighty long
time before I get back to old Ireland to disappoint him and to delight
the heart of our old friend, Counsellor McMahon, who will be fancying
that all his toil and trouble have been thrown away, while his purse too
will have suffered not a little. I have often wished that I possessed
the means of tranquillising his mind on that point."

"From what Captain Adair has said, I don't think the counsellor has ever
given up the idea of your safety," answered the master, "but you will
hear all about it very soon."

This conversation took place as the boat was returning to the ship,
after Desmond had exchanged greetings with the first lieutenant.

"Well," exclaimed Jos, "`it's an ill wind that blows nobody good,' and
although I'm sorry enough to lose the ship, yet finding you goes a long
way towards reconciling me to her fate, especially as I have not to pay
for her."

Adair expressed himself in somewhat similar language on seeing his
nephew, Saint Maur.

"I was sure that you would turn up one day or other, Gerald," he said,
"and so was the counsellor, and I don't mind the court-martial and all
the bother I shall have to go through, now that I have found you.
Although I am anxious enough to hear how you came here, I have too much
to do just now to listen to you."

Such, indeed, was the case. Before an attempt could be made to carry
the ship over the bar, everything possible must be got out of her. The
boats were immediately lowered and loaded with provisions and canvas for
forming tents. All hands worked away with a will, young Lord Saint Maur
turning to with as much energy as the rest, officers and men pulling and
hauling away at the ropes. To land the stores more rapidly, Adair
directed the carpenter to construct several rafts, which would be
serviceable as long as the sea continued smooth, but which would be most
untrustworthy should it come on to blow.

Lord Saint Maur gave the satisfactory intelligence that he had found
three large boats on the island, which had apparently