ne of the led horses and galloped off,
followed by the shouts and execrations of the seamen, who were,
fortunately for him, without firearms.

"Shure, Miss Norah, jewel, you're all safe now, and that mighty big
blackguard, whoever he may be, will do you no harm," exclaimed Dan. "If
you and the young lady will just mount on the car, we'll escort you safe
into Waterford; and if he and a score of Rapparees like himself were to
come back, we'd bate them all off before they could come near you."

"Let us get up on the car, as the sailor advises us," said Ellen; and
she mounted and helped Norah up, when the seamen running on each side,
they set off at a brisk pace, followed by the other cars.

"It's at the wake of poor Pat Casey we've been, Miss Norah. He niver
was himself after the wound he got when we fought the privateer--and
shure, we were coming home at daybreak; but somehow or other, what with
the potheen, and the friends we met, and a scrimmage or two, we made a
long morning of it; and bedad, good luck it was, or we wouldn't have
come up in time to put that fellow to flight."

Ellen, who had somewhat recovered from her alarm, assured Dan how
thankful she felt to him and his shipmates and friends for the service
they had rendered Norah and herself.

"Service, Misthress Ferris! it was the greatest pleasure I've had since
I was born, and I only wish I'd the same every day of my life. What
would Mr Massey have been after doing if that thundering villain had
got you and Miss Norah upon his horses and galloped off through the
country wid ye!--but he'd betther not be showing his face again in these
parts, whoever he is," answered Dan. "As soon as we've seen you both
safe home, we'll go in chase of him, and it will be hard if we don't
catch him, too."

Norah did not say whom she suspected the ruffian to be who had attempted
the outrage; indeed, she was far too nervous to speak, and it was not
till, escorted by Dan and his friends, they arrived safely at home, that
she mentioned her suspicions to Ellen. She begged her to make as light
as possible of the matter, for fear of agitating Captain Tracy in a way
which might be injurious to him in his present state of health. Still,
the circumstance could not be altogether concealed from him. Abduction
was at that time too common in Ireland for what had occurred to create
much surprise. The only difficulty was to ascertain who the man could
be, though it was generally bel