_me_."

"Never say it again," says my cousin. "Fill and drink's the word _this_
time with _you_, and the _next_ with _me_, honest man!"

"All right!" replied the stranger.

And fill and drink it was more than onct round, you may be on your oath.

"That's a smart youngster!" says he wid the band and buttons, pointing
to me.

"The boy's well enough, as a boy," says my cousin. "He's strong, handy,
and willing, and not the sort of a lad to kape where there's an empty
larder; but if he ates well, he works well; so more power to his elbow,
and double rations, wid all my heart!"

"That's the lad for my money!" says the stranger. "Would you like to
take a trip with me, youngster?"

"What ship do you belong to, sir?" I asked.

"That," says he, going to the door of the public, and pointing to a
splindid three-master, with the stars and stripes at the peak.

"And where do you sail to, sir?" says I.

"New York," replied he.

"Where's that, if it's plasin' to you, sir?" says I.

"In Amerikay," says he; "the land of the brave, and the home of the
free!"

"Amerikay!" broke in my cousin. "My sister's wife's uncle has a son
there--a tall young man, badly pock-marked, with a slight cast in his
left eye, and hair as red as a fox. Lanty O'Gorman is the name he has
upon him. He has been there two years and better. Mayhap you have met
him?"

"I dar say I have," said the stranger, laughing heartily.

"Would you take a message to him, sir?" asked my cousin.

"I'd be everlastingly delighted," says he, "but there's a dale of
O'Gormans about; and as most of them are pock-marked, squint, and have
red heads, I'm afraid I'd be bothered to know him. Do you think that
young shaver would remimber him?"

"Faith and troth I would, sir," says I, "by rason of the leathering he
gave me onct for making an April fool of him, telling him the chickens
the ould hen had hatched from the ducks' eggs had tuck to the water, and
if he didn't hurry and get them out of the pond, every mother's son of
them would be drownded!"

"Wal," said the stranger, "it's an almighty pity you ain't there to see
him. The man I know of the name of O'Gorman is as rich as mud; and if
he took a liking to you, he could make your fortune right off the reel
in less than no time!"

"I'd give the worrild to go," says I.

"Come, old man," says the Yankee--I found out afterward he was an
Amerikan--"what do you say? Will you let this young shaver take a trip