r the quarter, asked
Barny where he was going.

"Faith then, I'm goin' an my business," said Barny.

"But where?" said the captain.

"Why, sure, an' it's no matther where a poor man like me id be goin',"
said Barny.

"Only I'm curious to know what the deuce you've been following my ship
for, the last week."

"Follyin' your ship! Why, thin, blur-an-agers, do you think it's
follyin' yiz I am?"

"It's very like it," said the captain.

"Why, did two people niver thravel the same road before?"

"I don't say they didn't; but there's a great difference between a ship
of seven hundred tons and a hooker."

"O, as for that matther," said Barny, "the same high-road sarves a coach
and four and a lowback car, the thravellin' tinker an' a lord a'
horseback."

"That's very true," said the captain, "but the cases are not the same,
Paddy, and I can't conceive what the devil brings _you_ here."

"And who ax'd you to consayve anything about it?" asked Barny, somewhat
sturdily.

"D--n me, if I can imagine what you're about, my fine fellow," said the
captain; "and my own notion is, that you don't know where the d--l
you're going yourself."

"O _baithershin_!" said Barny, with a laugh of derision.

"Why then do you object to tell?" said the captain.

"Arrah sure, captain, an' don't you know that sometimes vessels is bound
to sail under _saycret ordhers_?" said Barny, endeavoring to foil the
question by badinage.

There was a universal laugh from the deck of the ship, at the idea of a
fishing-boat sailing under secret orders; for, by this time, the whole
broadside of the vessel was crowded with grinning mouths and wondering
eyes at Barny and his boat.

"O, it's a thrifle makes fools laugh," said Barny.

"Take care, my fine fellow, that you don't be laughing at the wrong side
of your mouth before long, for I've a notion that you're cursedly in
the wrong box, as cunning a fellow as you think yourself. D--n your
stupid head, can't you tell what brings you here?"

"Why, thin, by gor, one id think the whole say belonged to you, you're
so mighty bowld in axin' questions an it. Why, tare-an-ouns, sure I've
as much right to be here as you, though I haven't as big a ship nor as
fine a coat,--but maybe I can take as good a sailin' out o' the one, and
has as bowld a heart under th' other."

"Very well," said the captain, "I see there's no use in talking to you,
so go to the d--l your own way." And away bore the ship, leaving B