deg. N. at a rough calculation, and we passed the Danish
settlement of Godthaab early on the next morning, though so far out at
sea that I could make nothing of it; while we lost the coast of Greenland
altogether before the day had passed, a hazy shower of dust-like snow
greeting our coming to the Atlantic and to a perceptibly warmer
latitude. During this day, and until we sighted the Shetlands, the
small screw tender kept our course, and we exchanged signals with her
every morning, her purpose being explained to me by "Four-Eyes," on the
fourth morning out, in his child-like phraseology.

"Faith, she's Liverpool bound, and we'll pick her up again south of the
Scilly when she's tidings of ships out. Bedad, sir, there's fine times
coming; what wi' the say full av big ones, and we one agen 'em, I'm
like to believe as we'll step ashore with our throats cut, ivery man av
us, and on the shore av me own counthry, which sorra a day I left for
this job."

"Why did you leave it, 'Four-Eyes'?" I asked cheerfully; and he said--

"'Twas this way, sorr, but it's a long yarn, and ye don't nade more
than the p'ints av it. When I was priest's bhoy in Tipperary, me and
Mike Sullivan had atween us what you gents call a vendeny, and coming
out av church--'twas Sunday mornin' five year ago--I met Mike, an' he
puts coals av fire on me head. 'Begorra,' says I, 'it's lucky for ye
I'm in the grace, but plase God I'll not be to-morrow;' but the
spalpeen went to Cork next day, and it wasn't till a year that I run
agen him, prepared to do my dooty."

"And you did it, I'll be bound!"

"Sorra a bit; I just fell in with the divil, being an aisy sort av
sowl, and he made me as drunk as a gentleman--that's why I'm here,
sorr. He shipped me aboard and got five pounds from me, me that meant
to thread on his head, the dirty skunk--but it's the way av the world,
sorr; help a man that's down, an' the moment the spalpeen's on his fate
he'll dance on ye."

"Which is verra true," said Dick the Ranter, who after two days had
still tar upon him, and was wrapped in a woman's shawl; "but will ye
postpone your thirdly, and go below to the doctor, who's wanting ye to
see the gear?"

They had not yet shown me the engines of the nameless ship, and I
welcomed the opportunity, grown weary with watching the dull green of
the sea, and the monotony of the sky-laden clouds. Dick led the way
quickly from the gallery to the lower deck, and thence down an iron
ladde