trous to her gallant officers and crew, for
she was dismasted in a gale, and was within an ace of being driven on
shore. But a miss is as good as a mile; and when under jury-masts she
scraped clear of the rocks, and got into port in safety. Here my
letter, after wandering about for many a day, found him, and he has lost
no time in replying to it. One of his midshipmen having gone overboard
in the gale, he can give you his berth; but mind you, Terence, don't go
and be doing the same thing."

"Not if I can help it, uncle," I replied. "And Larry? will he take
Larry? The boy has set his heart upon going to sea, and it would be
after breaking if he were parted from me. He has been talking about it
every day since he knew that I thought of going; and I promised him I
would beg hard that he might go with me."

"As Captain Macnamara says that the _Liffy_ has had several men killed
in action, I have no doubt that a stout lad like Larry will not be
refused; so you may tell him that when he volunteers, I'll answer for
his being accepted," was the answer.

"Thank you, uncle; it will make him sing at the top of his voice when he
hears that," I said. "And when are we to be off?"

"To-morrow, or the day after, at the furthest," answered the major. "I
intend to go with you to introduce you to your captain, and to have a
talk with him over old times."

"Then may I run and tell my father and mother, and Maurice, and Denis,
and the girls?"

"To be sure, boy; but you mustn't be surprised if they are not as
delighted to hear of your going, as you are to go," he answered, as I
bolted out of the room.

I found my brothers turning out of bed, and gave them a full account of
the captain's letter. They took the matter coolly.

"I wish you joy," said Maurice, who was expecting shortly to get his
commission in our uncle's old regiment. I then went to the girls, who
were by this time dressed. Kathleen and Nora congratulated me warmly.

"And shure are you going to be a real midshipman?" said Nora. "I wish I
was a boy myself, that I might go to sea, and pull, and haul, and dance
a hornpipe."

They, at all events, didn't seem so much cast down as my uncle supposed
they would be. My father had just been wheeled out of his chamber into
the breakfast room, for he was suffering from an attack of his sworn
enemy.

"Keep up the honour of the O'Finnahans, my boy; and you'll only do that
by performing your duty," he said, patting me