oung lady was staying here."

Not till now could Desmond get in a word.

"I am sorry to say, sir, that I bring very sad news," answered Gerald;
and he briefly described what had occurred. The admiral, who had been
standing up, tottered back into a chair as he heard it.

"I won't believe it!" he exclaimed at last; "your uncle and Tom can't be
lost--poor, poor Lucy! and my friend Sir John and Lady Rogers, they'll
be dreadfully cut up at the loss of that fine youngster, Tom. It mayn't
have been your fault, Desmond, but I wonder you didn't try and save
him."

"I'd have risked my own life to do so, sir," answered Gerald; and he
explained more fully all that had taken place.

"I must go on board and make inquiries about the affair!" exclaimed the
admiral. "Deb, help me on with my greatcoat."

"Pray don't think of going, admiral; it is too late in the day, and you
are not fit for such a walk," said the old lady, without moving from her
chair.

Desmond had remarked the wandering way in which the admiral had spoken,
as also that there was a great change in his appearance. He assured him
that there was no possible use in going on board, and persuaded him at
length to give up the idea. He grew more quiet and reasonable after he
had taken a cup of tea, and observed with a sigh that it was high time
he should slip his cable, since so many of his younger friends were
losing the number of their mess.

"And now, youngster," he asked, "what are you going to do with yourself
when your ship is paid off, which I suppose she will be in a day or two?
Have you any friends to go to?"

Desmond owned that without his uncle he should be very unwilling to
return to Ballymacree, and he thought that the best thing he could do,
would be to get afloat again as soon as possible.

"You are right, youngster, depend on that," said the admiral; "but in
the meantime you must come and hang your hammock up here, and my sister
Deborah will take care of you."

Desmond of course accepted the admiral's kind offer, and made himself
very useful by walking out with the old man, who was now unfit to go out
by himself, while he also made an excellent listener to his long yarns.

The next day, Mrs Murray, who sympathised greatly with poor Lucy, and
Sir John and Lady Rogers, wrote to Mary that she might break the
intelligence to them, which they thus fortunately heard before they saw
it in the papers. Desmond found that Murray had sailed but a short