Alister
to look up his relation, I to buy stationery and stamps for our letters
home, and Dennis to convert his gold ring into the currency of the
colony. We would not let him pawn his watch, which he was most anxious
to do, though Alister and I pointed out how invaluable it might prove to
us (it was a good hunting-watch, and had been little damaged by the
sea), because, as he said, "he would feel as if he was doing
_something_, anyhow."

Alister and I were the last to part, and as we did so, having been
talking about Dennis O'Moore, I said, "I knew it was French when I got
nearer, but I never learnt French, though my mother began to teach me
once. You don't really think you'll learn it from him, do you?"

"With perseverance," replied Alister, simply.

"What good will French be to you?" I asked.

"Knowledge is a light burden, and it may carry ye yet," was Alister's
reply.

When we met again, Dennis was jingling some money in his pocket, which
was added to the common fund of which the miser's legacy had formed the
base. I had got paper and stamps, and information as to mails, and some
more information which was postponed till we found out what was amiss
with the Scotch leaf of our shamrock. For there were deep furrows on
Alister's brow, but far deeper was the despondency of his soul. He was
in the lowest possible spirits, and with a Scotchman that is low indeed.
He had made out his way to his cousin's place of business, and had heard
a very satisfactory report of the commercial success, but--the cousin
had gone "to the States."

Alister felt himself very much ill-used by fate, and I believe Dennis
felt himself very much ill-used by Alister, that evening, but I maintain
that I alone was the person really to be pitied, because I had to keep
matters smooth between the two. The gloom into which Alister relapsed,
his prophecies, prognostications, warnings, raven-like croakings,
parallel instances, general reflections and personal applications, as
well as his obstinate notion that he would be "a burden and a curse" to
"the two of us," and that it would have been small wonder had the
sailors cast him forth into the Atlantic, like the Prophet Jonah, as
being certain to draw ill-luck on his companions, were trying enough;
but it was no joke that misfortune had precisely the opposite effect
upon Dennis. If there was a bit of chaff left unchaffed in all Ireland,
from Malin Head to Barley Cove, I believe it came into Dennis's