dollars that ye won't know what to do wid 'em.
Begorrah, it's wishin' I am, I stood in ye'r shoes, alannah, an' I
wouldn't care for to call the Pope me ouncle, God bless him!"

Spokeshave, though, sneered at my success in gaining so good a friend as
the colonel; but owing to the accident to the top of his nose, which
being still bandaged, or rather court-plastered up, and not tending to
add to his beauty, he was not able to turn it up and sniff in his former
irritating way that always exasperated me so much.

As for old Masters, his face became the picture of woe when I informed
him I was leaving the ship and the company's service.

"You mark my words, Master Haldane," said he in his most sepulchral
manner, "many a one afore you has throwed up the sea, and what good has
it done 'em? No good! Them that goes to sea oughter stick to the sea,
that's what I says; and if they throws it up, though I hopes you won't,
they allus live to repent it. I be truly sorry you be goin', and ah,
Master Haldane, I sed as how summet 'ud come of our seein' that there
blessed ghost-ship!"

"And so something _has_ happened, bo'sun, and a precious lot too, my
hearty!" said I, jokingly, as I stood on the gangway preparatory to
going over the side. "But never mind that now, old shipmate! Good-bye
to you, men, and thank you all for your kindness to me from the time I
first sailed with you as a youngster."

I really believe I could see a tear in the old bo'sun's eye as he wished
me farewell with the rest of them, the crew manning the rigging to give
me a hearty cheer and "send off" that could be heard across the Mersey.

Thus it was that I took leave of the old barquey, and, my mother's
consent having been obtained before I finally settled with the colonel,
no further arrangements had to be perfected beyond obtaining and
preparing my kit, and a hasty run to the cottage to pay a last visit to
my old mother and sister Janet, and wish them farewell for a few years,
when I looked forward to returning to England and finding them both well
and happy, and in more comfortable and prosperous circumstances.

That same afternoon Colonel Vereker and I started off by train from
Liverpool for Southampton, at which latter port we embarked in the
outward bound West India mail steamer, sailing for Colon, _en route_ to
Venezuela.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

DURING SEVEN YEARS.

We reached La Guayra, and from thence Caracas, safely enough, in spite
o