After spending a few days more in Dublin, the captain being employed in transacting some shipping business for the firm, he and Norah set off for Waterford, where, in spite of his apprehensions of being attacked by Rapparees, highwaymen, or abductors, they arrived in safety. Meantime the _Ouzel Galley_, with about sixty other merchantmen collected from Liverpool, Glasgow, and various Irish ports, set sail down Channel, convoyed by the 32-gun frigates, _Thisbe_ and _Druid_, and the _Champion_ corvette; "Old Blowhard," as he was called, captain of the _Thisbe_, acting as commodore. The _Champion_ had a busy time of it whipping up the laggards and calling in the stragglers, who would, in spite of orders to the contrary, steer their own course. The _Ouzel Galley_ was among the well-behaved of the fleet, always keeping her proper position; and though she could have run well ahead of most of them, Owen never failed to shorten sail when necessary, for which he was complimented by Mr Ferris. Perhaps Ellen might have preferred more frequently seeing the _Champion_, which she soon learned to distinguish from the rest of the fleet. The _Druid_ was employed much as the _Champion_; but Old Blowhard kept his proper position in the van, making signals with his bunting or guns as occasion required. The greater portion of the passage was accomplished without an enemy's cruiser having been sighted; indeed, no small French squadron would have ventured to approach the formidable-looking fleet, as many of the merchantmen carried guns, and three or four of them would have been a match for any frigate, or, at all events, would not have yielded without a hard struggle.