ove her kind feelings, took the boy into her own
room, and placed before him several articles of food and delicacies,
such as had never before passed his lips. She watched him while he ate.

"It is strange if there's not gentle blood in that boy," she remarked to
herself, "I have heard what the young ladies think about it, and by the
way he sits at table and eats, I would never believe that he is a mere
fisher-boy."

Dermot did not hear her remarks. Having finished his repast, he rose
and wishing her good-bye, hastened home with the good news to his
mother.

CHAPTER THREE.

The widow and her son devoted the next day to an active supervision of
their nets. In the evening a gentle westerly breeze, which had brought
in their boat safely to shore, was still blowing, and Dermot having
prepared the fish for the next day's market, ascended to the downs above
the cottage. As he gazed over the ocean, he saw under all sail,
standing in for the shore, a beautiful ship. She had royals set, and
studding-sails below and aloft on either side. It was evident she
wished to come to an anchor before dark, and he concluded from the
course she was steering, that she proposed bringing up in the bay, a
reef extending out, on the north side of it, affording her sufficient
shelter from the wind then blowing. Dermot watched the ship with
intense interest. The masts seemed so tall, the canvas so white, and
the yards extending so far on either side. On she came like a graceful
swan, gliding over the azure bosom of the deep, surrounded as it were
with the golden rays of the setting sun playing over the water in which
she floated. Dermot had not believed that any vessel so beautiful was
to be found on the ocean. She seemed so graceful, so fairy-like. As
she drew nearer her sides appeared highly polished, and all about her
wore an air of perfect order. A distant strain of music reached his ear
from the deck. On a sudden men were seen swarming up her rigging.
Every yard was covered. Now the studding-sails came in as if by magic.
The royals and the topgallant sails were handed, the topsails were
furled, the courses brailed up, and in a few seconds she was under bare
poles, when her anchor was let go with a loud rattling sound in the
securest part of the bay, showing that those on board were well
acquainted with the coast.

As he looked down on the gallant frigate, for such she was, Dermot's
admiration increased more and more.