When the ladies retired to the cabin, the two friends continued to pace the deck; and William Thornton detailed the particulars of Madame Volney’s narrative, confirming their conjectures of the previous night. “From my heart I warmly congratulate you,” cried the Irishman, pressing the midshipman’s hand. “Be my conscience! another thing gladdens my heart as much as any other part of the information you have received, and that is, that you’re a countryman of mine. And faith, let John Bull mimic us, and denounce us, in his arrogance, as a vulgar and ignorant set, without any pretensions to be gentlemen, and all rebels at heart; he is vastly mistaken. There are as loyal hearts in old Ireland, and as good blood too, as any in Britain; and though we may like a row and a drop of whisky now and then, we are always ready to stand up for the flag of old England whenever it needs our defence. Now I tell you what we must do: the moment we get to England we must inquire whether Sir Oscar de Bracy has returned to his native land; if not, he must be written to at once; and there is no question, in my opinion, when he hears all the particulars, but that he will with joy and delight own you as his son.” Our hero was so full of conflicting thoughts arising from the recent unexpected revelations, so momentous to him, that he could scarcely reply to questions or attend to his friend’s conversation. This singular combination of events, produced by the very simple fact of his being permitted to accompany Lieutenant Cooke in the expedition to Toulon, had led to the whole; all those with whom he had thus become connected were linked in a chain of evidence. “You seem in the clouds, William,” remarked O’Loughlin; “and, indeed, there is enough to bewilder a young head like yours; but there’s no use in bothering one’s brains till the time comes for action. See, we shall run into the bay in a very short time; and, since we are here, I think I will try and get up a better and taunter set of masts, if the Port-Admiral is willing. If we should chance to have a brush or a run with any of the enemy’s cruisers on our way home, we should be at a great disadvantage.” An hour afterwards the Babet was at anchor. As nothing of any consequence occurred during the forty-eight hours they remained in Gibraltar, and as Mr. O’Loughlin was not allowed a refit, the Commander on the station thinking he was quite in a condition to make the voyage to England, he again got under weigh, having spent a few hours, however, in escorting his fair guests over the lions of the place.