never be seen by
one of the party again. The window, however, was barred, the door was
unapproachable, there was a fire in the grate; and so, as escape was
denied me, I at once abandoned a plan which I saw unfeasible, and, with
a quickness to which I owe much in life, immediately adopted an opposite
tactic. Assuming a deferential position, I drew back towards the wall,
to be laughed at as long as the honorable company should fancy it.

"So, Mr. Cregan," cried one, drying his eyes with his handkerchief,
"modesty is one of those invaluable gifts with which nature has favored
you?"

"I sincerely trust it may be no bar to your advancement," said another.

"Rather cruel," added a third, "to be balked for such a mere trifle."

"I say, Pike," added another, "I rather envy you the insinuated flattery
of your discrimination. It would seem that you detected the precious
metal here at once."

"What country do you come from, boy?" said a hard-featured

old officer who had laughed less than the others.

"How can you ask, Chudleigh?" said another. "There 'a only one land
rears that plant."

"There's a weed very like it in Scotland, M'Aldine," said the captain,
with a grin which the last speaker did not half relish.

"You're Hirish, ain't you?" said a very boyish-looking ensign, with sore
eyes.

"Yes, sir."

"Very much so, I fancy," said he, laughing as though he had been very
droll.

"I always heard your countrymen had wings; what has become of them?"

"I believe we used to have, sir; but the English plucked us," said I,
with a look of assumed simplicity.

"And what is all that about the Blarney stone?" said another; "is n't
there some story or other about it?"

"It's a stone they kiss in _my_ country, sir, to give us a smooth
tongue."

"I don't see the great use of that," rejoined he, with a stupid look.

"It's mighty useful at times, sir," said I, with a half glance towards
Captain Pike.

"You're too much, gentlemen, far too much for my poor friend Con," said
the captain; "you forget that he's only a poor Irish lad. Come, now, let
us rather think of starting him in the world, with something to keep the
devil out of his pocket." And, with this kind suggestion, he chucked
a dollar into his cap, and then commenced a begging tour of the room,
which, I am ready to confess, showed the company to be far more generous
than they were witty.

"Here, Master Con," said he, as he poured the contents into my two
hands,