me fur the mare an' meself, an' Oi
think yure honor ought to give me two more in consequince av the fright
ye gave me. Shure it'll be a long day befure Oi git over it! Whin Oi
turned an' saw that ingia rubber thing over ye Oi thought it was the
very divil himself."

Paul laughed and handed him over the other two shillings, with: "Now,
that's all you get."

"Well, good luck an' may the--" here his flow of blessings were cut off
by Mr. Jolly who threw him out of the room.

When the stage coach drove up to the door almost the entire population
of Skibbereen was out. Lusty cheers were given for Paul as he mounted
the outside of the coach, in answer to which he fastened the American
flag to his paddle and waved it to the cheering populace as he drove out
of town. On reaching Dunmanway, Paul entered the train and started for
Cork.

CHAPTER VIII.

Soon after Paul left the Queen, the gale that almost cost him his life,
broke down on that gallant vessel. The captain put her nose in it and
headed her off for sea. All night she ploughed against it while the huge
seas burst over her and whitened her smoke stacks with salt to the
very top. Not a soul on board believed that Paul would last in the gale
half an hour after she broke out, and the captain blamed himself keenly
for letting him go. The steamer did not succeed is reaching Queenstown
harbor until noon next day. When the lighter came along side for the
mails a man passed a telegram up to the captain. He feverishly tore it
open and found with great relief that it was from Paul.

"Thank God that he is safe," he exclaimed, and he then read it aloud to
the passengers.

Cheer after cheer went up as the news was spread along the decks. Having
discharged her mail and passengers for Ireland, the Queen resumed her
way to Liverpool, while the lighter steamed into Queenstown. Evidences
of the ravages of the storm were visible on all sides. Dismantled ships,
unroofed houses and vessels ashore told the story of its force in that
vicinity. It was afterwards ascertained that fifty-six vessels were lost
in the same storm on the southern coast of Great Britain that night.
When the lighter reached Queenstown, the passengers were full of
excitement in regard to Paul's wonderful feat and they spread the story
broadcast both in Queenstown and Cork. To their disgust, they found
that the people disbelieved them and laughed at them saving:

"This is a fine Ya