h so that he could go below. "Mr O'Neil?" he
again yelled out.

Spokeshave must have shouted down the Irishman's throat, for the next
instant he poked his head up the hatchway.

"Here I am, bedad!" he exclaimed, shoving past Master "Conky," to whom
he had a strong dislike, though "Garry," as we all called him, was
friendly with every one with whom he was brought in contact, and was,
himself, a great favourite with all the hands on board. Now, as he made
his way towards the bridge, where some of the men were still singing out
his name, he cried out, "Who wants me, sure? Now, don't ye be all
spaking at once; one at a time, me darlints, as we all came into the
wurrld!"

"Why, where did you get to, man?" said the skipper, somewhat crossly.
"We've been hunting all over the ship for you!"

"Sure, I wint down into the stowage to say if the yolklines and chains
for the wheel were all clear, and to disconnect the shtame stayrin'
gear," replied our friend Garry. "But you'll find it all right now,
with the helm amidships, and you can steer her wheriver you like; only
you'll want four hands at least to hauld the spokes steady if she breaks
off, as I fear she will, in this say!"

"That's all right," cried the skipper, appeased at once, for he
evidently thought that Garry had gone back to his cabin and left us in
the lurch. "But I've bad news, and sorry to say, O'Neil, we want your
services as a doctor now. There's been a bad accident in the stoke-hold
and some of the poor fellows are sadly hurt."

"Indade, now!" ejaculated the other, all attention. "What's the matter?
Any one scalded by the shtame, sure?"

"No, not that," said Mr Fosset, taking up the tale. "Mr Stokes has
had his arm broken and another poor fellow been almost crushed to death.
He's now insensible, or was when I came on deck so you'd better take
some stimulant as well as splints with you."

"Faith, I understand all right and will follow your advice in a brace of
shakes," replied the second mate, as he rushed off towards the saloon.
"You'd better go on ahead, Fosset, and say I'm coming!"

With these parting words both he and the first officer disappeared from
view, the latter hastening back to the engine-room, while the captain
slowly mounted the bridge-ladder again and resumed his post there by the
binnacle, after placing four of the best hands at the wheel amidships
with old Masters, the boatswain, in charge.

"Ah, what d'ye think o' that now?" o