Lord," said the pilot, who heard but a part of the
observation; "it will be a gale before morning."

"Luff! luff, there!" shouted Sickleton; and at the same instant a heavy
sea thundered against the bow and broke over the fore part of the vessel
with a crashing sound.

"I think when we see the lighthouse of Kingstown so near us," said Lord
Kilgoff, "there ought to be no great difficulty in returning."

"That's not the harbor-light you see yonder--that's the Kish, my
Lord," said the pilot "Keep her up, my man, keep her up, the wind is
freshening."

"Will you indeed forgive me for this disastrous turn of our cruise?"
said Cashel, as he fastened his boat-cloak around Lady Kilgoff's throat,
after several vain efforts to induce her to go below.

"If you only prevent my Lord from scolding, I shall enjoy it immensely,"
said she, in a half whisper.

"I trust, Lady Kilgoff," said his Lordship, approaching, and steadying
himself by the bulwarks, "that this night'a experience will induce you
to distrust your own judgment when in opposition to mine. I foresaw the
whole of it. It is now blowing a fierce gale--"

"Not a bit of it, my Lord," interposed the pilot, bluntly; "but it will
blow great guns 'fore daybreak, or I 'm mistaken."

"And where shall we be then?" asked my Lord, querulously.

"Rayther hard to tell," said the pilot, laughing. "If she be as good a
sea-boat as they say, and that we don't carry away any of our spars, we
may run for Cove. I take it--"

"For Cove! Gracious mercy! and if she be not as good a vessel as it is
said she is, sir, what then, pray?"

The pilot made no reply, but gave orders to set the jib, as she was
laboring too much by the head.

The wind increased, and with it the sea, which, dividing at the bow,
fell in great cataracts over the vessel, sweeping along the entire deck
at every plunge she gave.

"I wish she were a little deeper in the water," whispered Sickleton to
Cashel. "We have n't within fifteen tons of our ballast on board. But
she 's a sweet craft, ain't she? Keep her, there--steady, man."

"We could n't stand round in stays, and bear up for the harbor?"
asked Cashel, on whom Lord Kilgoff's face of misery had made a strong
impression.

"Impossible! At least the pilot, who knows this coast well, says there
is a shore current here runs eight knots."

"What shall we do with him? He 'll scarce live through the night."

"Let us get him down below, and, once snug in a berth,