"But first," said I to myself, "cost what it may, I will have a peep at Fanad." CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. A STEP UP THE LADDER. A strange thing befell me as soon as I landed in Dublin. I was prowling along the quay, wondering whether I should present myself then and there at the Admiralty, or take French leave for Donegal while I was free and had money in my pocket, when I was startled out of my wits by what seemed to be a veritable ghost in my path. Unless I had been certain that I was the only survivor out of the ill-starred _Zebra_, I could have sworn I saw Mr Felton, the second lieutenant, leaning over the rails, watching the dressing of a smart-looking revenue cutter that lay out in the water-way. The more I looked the less like a ghost did he appear, until at last I ventured to walk up to him with a salute. "Good-morrow, Lieutenant Felton," said I. "Captain, if you please," said he, turning round. "What! is that you, Gallagher, or your ghost? I thought I was the only man that saved his life out of that fated ship." "I thought the same of myself, till this moment," said I. "I hung on to a cask for close on twenty-four hours, till an English lugger picked me up. But I'll tell you of that later. Where do you spring from?" "From hospital; I was on Duncan's ship at the battle of Camperdown--" "You were! Lucky dog!" interjected he. "Where I got a crack in the shoulder, and am only just out." "And what are you going to do?" "I am going to report myself at the Admiralty, and apply for a berth. I have my papers, and a letter from the admiral himself." "It strikes me they'll have to build a ship for you," said he, with a laugh; "for, supposing you to be dead, I gave such an extravagantly glowing account of your conduct on the _Zebra_, that I dare swear they'll want to make a vice-admiral of you straight away. But what do you say to serve under me? Just at the time when I called at the Admiralty they had received a pressing request from the Customs to find them an officer to take charge of a cutter--there she lies," pointing to the smart craft he had been inspecting; "and they gave me the offer, and I took it. And I'm on the look-out for a few smart hands, especially a first officer." "Nothing would suit me better," said I, "if I can get the proper step. I'm only a boatswain, you know." "That will not be difficult with the papers you have got and your record. At a time like this they are not stiff about promotion, provided they get the proper men. So come along and beard the lions at once." "There's one thing, sir," said I, "that I must do before I can join any ship--I must take a run home to Donegal, to--" "Donegal! why, that's where we're ordered to, man. There's a gang of smugglers on the coast between Inishowen and Fanad that we've got to catch; and if that's near your home--" "Near!" I exclaimed; "sure it _is_ my home. I know every creek and shoal of the coast in the dark."