to learn, they have
not been slow in sending both men-of-war and privateers to sea--and I
would advise you to stand clear of any strange sail we may fall in with:
it is wiser to avoid a friend than to run the risk of being caught by a
foe."

"This is bad news indeed you give me, sir," said Captain Tracy, "though
I have to thank you for it, as it is better to be forewarned; and you
may depend on it, I will follow your advice. Had I thought it likely
that war would break out, I should not have brought my young daughter to
sea; but she was anxious to come as she had no one to look after her,
and I intended this to be my last voyage, for I have knocked about
enough on the ocean to long to settle down quietly on shore. We know
that we must run all risks, but I cannot bear the thought of what might
happen should we be captured by a picarooning privateer, for most of
them are but little better than pirates." He said this in a low voice,
aside, to the stranger, intending that Norah should not hear him.

"I sincerely hope that we shall not fall in with a Frenchman of any
quality, either a man-of-war or one of the picarooning rascals you speak
of," answered the stranger, in a somewhat sarcastic tone.

"Well, Mr--I beg your pardon, you haven't mentioned your name--I have
again to thank you for the information and advice you have given me, and
I hope you'll find yourself at home on board this chip. We're pretty
well provisioned, and we'll not starve you, at all events," said Captain
Tracy.

"Thank you, captain, I have no fear about the matter," answered the
stranger; "and as to my name, I quite forgot to give it. Indeed, you
are not likely to have heard of me before, for I have been knocking
about in distant seas for most of my life--it is Lancelot Carnegan. I
hail from Ireland, as you may suppose; and perhaps you may have already
discovered a touch of the brogue--but it has been well-nigh washed out
of me; still, though we children of Erin roam the world over, we never
entirely get rid of our mother tongue."

"Bad luck to us if we do," answered the captain, laughing. "I might
have guessed that you came from the old country--and now you'll have an
opportunity, if you wish to remain when we reach harbour, of renewing
your acquaintance with it and any friends you may have."

"There are few, if any, who know me," answered Mr Carnegan. "I played
truant at an early age, and have seldom since then set foot on my native
sh