He could not help wishing to be on
board so fine a craft, and he determined to take the first opportunity
of visiting her.

On his return to the hut, he told his mother of the arrival of the
frigate.

"She comes as a friend, I hope," remarked the widow; "it is not many
years ago that I have seen vessels in this bay, which came with very
different intentions."

No one was seen, however, to land from the strange frigate, but the
widow, on further consideration, resolved to pay a visit on board, in
the hopes of disposing of the fish they had just caught, calculating
that a further supply might be obtained for the castle the following
day.

Dermot was glad of an excuse for going on board: as it was now too late
to visit her, it was arranged that they should go off the first thing on
the following morning. Although he and his mother could manage the boat
by themselves, he did not know how she might be received on board; he
therefore invited his Uncle Shane to accompany them, advising him to
carry a supply of his own fish for sale.

Early the next morning the boat was alongside the frigate. The vendors
of fish are generally welcomed by men-of-war's-men, and they very
quickly disposed of all they possessed; the only complaint of the
sailors being, that they had not brought off enough vegetables and other
fresh productions.

Dermot was invited on board, and as he showed his curiosity in all he
saw, he was allowed to go over the whole of the ship. Great was his
wonder as he examined her polished guns, the decks, white as snow, one
below the other, the ropes on the upper deck so beautifully flemished
down. The men were at breakfast, between decks. The tin mess utensils
were spread out before them. Dermot was shown how the hammocks were
hung up at night, and where they were stowed in the hammock-nettings in
the day time. He gazed aloft at the symmetrical yards and ropes, and
wondered at the perfect order which reigned around; so different to what
he had been accustomed to in the small fishing-vessels and coasters, the
only craft with which he was acquainted.

"Would you like to come to sea, lad?" said a rough sailor, putting his
hand on Dermot's shoulder; "you would make an active young topman in a
few years. There's something in you, I see. What do you say? Will you
ship aboard us? I can answer for it you would get a berth, for our
captain likes such as you."

Dermot was pleased with the compliment paid him,