They continued to converse as they moved away, but their words only reached me in broken, unconnected sentences. From all I could glean, however, I was in company with one of enormous personal strength and a most reckless intrepidity. At last, all was still; not a sound to be heard on any side; and my companion, leaning forward, said, "Come, my lad, pull me out a short distance into the offing; we shall soon see a light to guide us!" In calm, still water I could row well. I had been boat-boy to the priest at all his autumn fishing excursions on the Westmeath lakes, so that I acquitted myself creditably, urged on, I am free to confess, by a very profound fear of the large figure who loomed so mysteriously in the stern. For a time we proceeded in deep silence, when at last he said, "What vessel do you belong to, boy?" "I was never at sea, sir," replied I. "Not a sailor! How comes it, then, you can row so well?" "I learned to row in fresh water, sir." "What are you? How came you to be here to-night?" "By merest chance, sir. I had no money to pay for a bed. I have neither home nor friends. I have lived, by holding horses, and running errands, in the streets." "Picking pockets occasionally, I suppose, too, when regular business was dull!" "Never!" said I, indignantly. "Don't be shocked, my fine fellow," said he, jeeringly; "better men than ever you 'll be have done a little that way. I have made some lighter this evening myself, for the matter of that!" This confession, if very frank, was not very reassuring; and so I made no answer, but rowed away with all my might. "Well!" said he, after a pause, "luck has befriended me twice to-night; and sending you to sleep under that wall was not the worst turn of the two. Ship your oars there, boy, and let us see if you are as handy a surgeon as you are a sailor! Try and bind up these wounded fingers of mine, for they begin to smart with the cold night air." "Wait an instant," cried he; "we are safe now, so you may light this lantern;" and he took from his pocket a small and most elegantly fashioned lantern, which he immediately lighted.