Salt Water | Page 4

also a notion that he might be able to go to sea with me. He was delighted with my plan, and backing Mrs Driscoll's objections to my being sent alone, it was finally arranged that he should take charge of me till he had handed me over to my uncle. Such parts of my outfit as could be manufactured at home, Mrs Driscoll got ready for me, and Larry was empowered to procure the rest for me at Portsmouth.
I confess that I did not shed a tear or cast a look of regret at my birthplace; but with a heart as light as a skylark taking his morning flight, I mounted alongside Larry on the top of the coach bound for Dublin. While in that city we saw my uncle, the Counsellor. I do not remember profiting much by the visit. He, however, shook me kindly by the hand, and wishing me every success, charged Larry to take care of me.
"Arrah!" muttered the old man as we walked away, "his honour, sure, would be after telling a hen to take care of her chickens now."
In London we put up at an inn at the west end, near Exeter 'Change; and while dinner was getting ready, we went to see the wild beasts which dwelt there in those days. I thought London a very smoky, dismal city, and that is all I can remember about it.
Larry was rigged for the journey in a suit of black; and though he would have been known, however dressed, by every one for a seaman, he was always taken for an officer of the old school, and was treated accordingly with becoming respect. Indeed, there was an expression of mild firmness and of unassuming self-confidence in his countenance, added to his silvery locks and his handsome though weather-beaten features, which commanded it.
We spent only one night in London; and by five o'clock in the afternoon of the day we left it we were rattling down the High Street of Portsmouth, on the top of the fast coach, while the guard played "See the Conquering Hero Comes"--which I had some notion he did in compliment to me.
I thought Portsmouth a much nicer place than London (in which idea some people, perhaps, will not agree with me); while I looked upon the "Star and Garter," where we stopped, as a very fine hotel, though not equal in dignity to the "George." My chest, made under Larry's superintendence, showed that its owner was destined for the sea. Taking my hand, Larry stumped up the passage, following the said chest and the bag which contained his wardrobe.
"What ship has your son come to join?" asked good Mrs Timmins, the landlady, curtseying, as she encountered us.
"Faith, marm, it's not after being the son of the likes of me is Master D'Arcy here," he answered, pleased at the same time at the dignity thus conferred on him. "This is the nephew, marm, of Lieutenant O'Flaherty of His Majesty's cutter, the Serpent; and I'll make bold to ax whether she's in the harbour, and what directions the Lieutenant has left about his nephew?"
"Oh dear, now, the cutter sailed this very morning for the westward," answered the landlady; "that is unfortunate! And so this young gentleman is Lieutenant O'Flaherty's nephew. Well, then, we must take good care of him, as she won't be back for a week; and you know, mister, you needn't trouble yourself more about him."
"Faith, marm, it's not I will be after leaving the young master till I see him safe in his uncle's hands," answered Larry, with a rap on his thigh. "So I'll just trouble you to give us a room with a couple of beds in it, and we'll take up our quarters here till the cutter comes back."
This arrangement of course pleased the worthy Mrs Timmins, as she got two guests instead of one; and I thus found myself established for a week at Portsmouth. Having selected our chamber, we went into the coffee-room and ordered dinner. There were several youngsters there, and other junior officers of the profession, for the "Star and Garter" was at that time more frequented than the far-famed "Blue Posts." At first some of the younger portion of the guests were a little inclined to look superciliously at Larry and me; but he stuck out his timber toe, and returned their glances with such calm independence, that they soon suspected he was not made of the stuff to laugh at; and they then showed an evident disposition to enter into conversation with him to discover who he could be. This, for my sake, he did not wish them to do; for, as he was to act the part of guardian, he thought it incumbent on him to keep up his dignity.
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