am I; a few years makes such a difference in us, while I can't
detect the least change in them."

"Except a few more gray hairs, or perhaps an additional wrinkle or two.
What's the matter with Tim?"

"Tim! O nothing, he seems to be meditating and smoking. Fact is that is
about all he has done since he has been with us."

"It's been a grand time for Tim, and I have no doubt he has enjoyed the
trip to and from California as much as either of us."

The subject of these remarks was seated a few feet away, his arms
folded, while he was looking with a vague, dreamy expression out upon
the great Pacific, stretching so many thousand miles beyond them,
rolling far off in each direction, until sky and ocean blended in great
gloom.

"Maybe he is looking for Asia," laughed Elwood in an undertone.

"More likely he is hoping to get a glimpse of Ireland, for he would be
as likely to look in that direction as any other. I say, Tim!"

The Irishman did not heed the call until he was addressed the second
time in a louder tone than before, when he suddenly raised his head.

"Whisht! what is it?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothin', I was dreaming."

"Dreaming! what about?"

"Begorrah but that was a qua'r dream, was that same one."

"Let's hear it."

"But it's onplaiasnt."

"Never mind, out with it."

"Well, thin, if I must tell yees, I was thinking that this owld staamer
was all on fire, and all of us passengers was jumping around in the
wather, pulling each other down, away miles into the sea, till we was
gone so long there wasn't a chance iver to git up agin."

A strange fear thrilled both of the boys at the mention of this, and
they looked at each other a moment in silence.

"What put that into your head, Tim?"

"And it's just the question I was axing meself, for I never draamed of
such a thing in my life before, and it's mighty qua'r that I should take
a notion to do it now."

"It ain't worth talking about," said Elwood, showing an anxiety to
change the subject.

"Be yees going to bed to-night?"

"I don't feel a bit sleepy," replied Elwood. "I'd just as soon sit up
half the night as not."

"And so would I; it must be after eleven o'clock, isn't it?"

"It's near 'levin," replied Tim. "I'm not able to examine me watch; and
if I was, I couldn't tell very well, as it hasn't run for a few months."

Howard took out his watch, but the moonlight was too faint for him to
distinguish the hands, and the thr