Come into the
cabin, and get your wet clothes off."

The crew of the steamer were busy getting in the barrel, and my new
friend, who was full of sympathy, conducted me to the cabin, where I
divested myself of a portion of my clothing. By this time the despatches
had been secured, and the captain came below. He gave me a flannel shirt
and a pair of trowsers, and sent me to his state-room to put them on. I
was very much alarmed about the safety of the contents of my money-belt;
but, on removing it, I found that the oiled silk, in which the bank
notes and the papers had been enclosed to prevent the perspiration of my
body from injuring them, had protected them in a great measure. A few
drops of water had penetrated through the folds of the silk, but no harm
was done to the documents or the money.

I wrung out the belt and put it on again, after I had wiped myself dry.
Clothing myself in the flannel shirt and pants, both of which were "a
mile too big for me," I returned to the cabin. The captain then carried
all my clothes to the furnace-room to be dried, just as the boat stopped
at Crookhaven to land the despatches.

"I suppose you would like to follow the steamer, young man," said the
gentleman who had been so kind to me.

"Very much, indeed!" I replied, eagerly; for I feared that the accident
would render my mission to England fruitless.

"You are extremely fortunate again," added he. "This steamer is to
proceed to Kinsale with me immediately."

Mr. Carmichael, the gentleman who addressed me, proved to be an agent of
the telegraph company, who had come down to this station to look after
its affairs. His business was finished, and he was in a hurry to reach
London; but it was twenty miles, by a rough and tiresome road, to any
public conveyance, and the steamer had been placed at his disposal. He
told me he should have gone the day before, but the boat was required to
be on the watch for the despatches.

"I hope to reach Kinsale in time for the nine o'clock train to Cork,"
said he. "If we do, you will not be much behind the steamer. Had you any
friends on board?"

"Yes, sir, one gentleman," I replied.

"Of course he will be troubled about you. Perhaps you would like to
telegraph to him."

I was pleased with this suggestion, for I felt that I had one good
friend on board of the ship who would worry about me in the morning,
when my absence was discovered. Knowing that Mr. Solomons intended to
stay at the Washing