, set off in their big boat, and arrived
at his clearing in time to prevent poor Terry from going out of his
mind, which he was nearly doing at seeing his master's boat drift by,
and believing he was lost. They found him wringing his hands, and
uttering a truly Irish lament as he contemplated the boat which had
driven on shore a short distance from the cottage shanty. So occupied
had he been in watching the upset boat that he had not observed their
approach.

"Och! sad's the day; and I'll never more be after seeing him again, the
dear young masther, barrin' it's his corpse is sent up by the cruel
waves on the shore, and I'll be left all alone in this desart counthry
to bury him, the last hope of the D'Arcys, instead of in the tomb of his
ancestors in ould Ireland. And what'll the poor misthress be doing when
she hears the news? sorrow a bit could my hand write the words; I
couldn't do it even if I had the 'art, nor my tongue tell it, I'd sooner
cut it out of my mouth; and sweet Misthress Katharine and Misthress
Lily, they'll cry their pretty eyes out, they will." Again he set up a
long, melancholy howl, not unlike that of a dog baying at the moon. The
sound of the Ashtons' boat touching the shore made him look up, with an
expression of hope in his countenance, as if he expected to see his
master, but it suddenly changed to one of still greater sorrow when he
discovered that he was not of the party.

Philip, eager to soothe his anxiety, shouted out, as he stepped on
shore, "Come up, Terry, we have him all safe on shore, only rather wet
and cold."

"Is it the thruth ye are spaking, Masther Philip? Arrah, an' I'm shure
it is," cried Terry, rushing towards him with frantic gestures of
delight. "Just say that word again, he's safe, an' blessins on yer
honest face, for I'm shure ye could not desave a poor gossoon like
myself." Philip repeated his assertion, and was not a little astonished
to find himself seized in Terry's arms, and hugged till the breath was
nearly out of his body. The honest fellow's feelings then gave way in a
burst of tears, which flowed while he apologised for the liberty he
became conscious he had taken.

D'Arcy's stay with his friends was prolonged over several days, and it
was not till he was perfectly recovered that they would allow him to go
back to his clearing. He found several subjects to ponder on when he
got there.

CHAPTER SIX.

The south wind blew softly, the air was pure