vented the sun's rays being over oppressive. Norah as usual
went on deck after breakfast with her work and a book. Owen was below;
it was the second mate's watch, and soon after she had taken her seat he
approached her.

"In a few days, Miss Tracy, we shall be doomed to part," he said, "It
may be that, compelled by a cruel fate to wander over the world, I may
never again meet you; but, believe me, the time I have spent on board
this ship I shall ever look upon as the happiest of my life."

"You are very good to say so," answered Norah, "though I should have
supposed, from the account you have given of yourself, that you would
have met with many other opportunities of enjoying life far more than
you could have done on board the _Ouzel Galley_."

"It is not the place, Miss Tracy, but the person with whom one is
associated, on which one's happiness depends. I speak from the depths
of my heart--if I could hope to enjoy existence with you, I would not
exchange my lot for that of the proudest monarch on earth," said Mr
Carnegan.

Before Norah could reply, the look-out from the mast-head shouted, "A
sail on the larboard bow!" At that instant, as he spoke, the captain
came on deck, followed by Owen.

"What course is she steering?" asked the former.

"About south-east, sir, close-hauled," was the answer.

While the captain was speaking Owen had gone forward, and was now making
his way up the fore-rigging. He quickly reached the mast-head; he had
not been there many seconds before the breeze freshening blew away the
mist, disclosing to view a large ship under all sail, her hull already
rising above the horizon. Unslinging his glass, he directed it towards
her.

"What does she look like?" asked the captain.

"She is flush-decked, and I make out ten ports on a side, sir," answered
Owen from aloft. Saying this, he quickly came down on deck, from whence
the movements of the stranger, which was standing directly across the
course the _Ouzel Galley_ was steering, could be discerned as well as
from the mast-head.

"If we hold on as we are now we shall be within range of her guns in
less than an hour, and I much fear that she is an enemy, sir," said
Owen, as he came up to the captain.

"We'll do our best, then, to keep out of her way," was the answer.
"Port the helm--man the larboard braces--ease off the starboard braces
and bowlines! We'll stand away to the sou'-west till we run her out of
sight; it will cause us s