consider himself her debtor, expressing a hope that the time would arrive when he might testify his feelings in this respect by something more substantial than mere professions. "Blarney and Bletherumskite!" ejaculated Norry, looking up in his face with an angry surprize; "is it reward ye 're speaking of? What is it you mane? Ah, now, honey dear, lave that alone, and niver say another word of that same, for sorrow a rap will I ever touch from your father's son, nor wouldn't be such a negre. Shall I tell ye the true story out of the face? I wouldn't be happy till we cried quits thegether, and so ye see I jist did it to folly my own likins, that I might have rest an' pace, and not upon your account at all, at all. Musha! God bless ye, nevertheless."

While they were thus discoursing they cleared a point of land, when the cutter hove in sight, and making a signal, which was answered by Norry, bore down to them, and in a short time Reuben and his companion were taken on board the Greyhound. Norry's darling son Mick looked like what he was, a reckless, law

less freebooter of the sea, ready for any desperate enterprize which so small a cutter and so limited a crew could accomplish. The latter comprised only another sturdy-looking man, whose aspect bespoke him to be a fitting comrade for Mick, and two stout boys; to whom might now be added Norry Molloy herself, who was as efficient as any sailor, either for purposes of seamanship or violence. Reuben had wished to be conveyed to Holland, but it happened that Mick had been lately carrying on a lucrative trade in bringing off the French Protestants, who were flying from the persecu tion then raging, and had engaged his vessel to a party at Boulogne, who were waiting his return. To this port, therefore, he announced his intention of sailing, and as Reuben was too much rejoiced at his escape to be particular as to the place where he was to take refuge, and felt besides that he ought not to interfere with the arrangements of his preservers, he offered no objections, but left them at liberty to follow their own plan. Mick declared that he had no fear whatever of the King's cruisers, since he

could sail round and round the fastest of them if he chose it, observing, that although one of them had lately succeeded in putting a shot into him, it had been fired from too great a distance to do him any serious damage. As a measure of precaution, however, he kept such a good offing that he cleared all the vessels stationed off the coast, and in due time sailed into the harbour of Boulogne, ran up alongside the quay, moored his vessel, and leaped ashore, followed by Norry Molloy, Reuben, and the rest of his crew.

CHAPTER IX.

"And if that any ill she heard of any,
She would it eke, and make it worse by telling,
And take great joy to publish it to many,
That every matter worse was for her melling:
Her name was hight Detraction."

SPENSER

ARRIVING at Lyme in the disconsolate mood which we have described, Goldingham, after long and anxious deliberation with himself as to the course that he should adopt, determined that he would proceed in the first instance to the prison, and inform his unfortunate nephew that he must prepare himself immediately for another world, since there was no mercy to be expected in this. Painful as the interview must be to both parties, he held it his duty not to avoid it,

and fortifying himself with such arguments as he thought best calculated to administer consolation to Reuben, while he set apart two broad pieces as a bribe, should there be any difficulty in obtaining access to him, he rang the prison bell, and declared the object of his visit. Being shown into a little lobby, perfumed with tobacco smoke and the mingled odours of Nantz and lamb's-wool, he was presently joined by the gaoler, into whose hand he slipped the pieces of gold, and requested the favour of half an hour's conversation with his prisoner, Reuben Apsley. "By my fackins! master," said the fellow, dropping the money into his pocket with a scowling grin, "I'll give you a score of

such megs, if you I'll only bring me within earshot of the clapperdogeon. Curse the counterfeit crank! who would have thought, when he sneaked in here with his patched castor, muddy stampers, an ash filch in his fambler, and a beer-stained nabcheate upon his nob, that the Abram-cove was rhino-cerical; had the megs, the smelts, the darby in his pouch? 'Swounds! I ought to wink through a halter myself for