" Perhaps he is ; but he will borrow your money
when he is cleaned out, as he was last night."

" I have no more to lend. He promised to pay me
to-morrow."

" And he will — over the left."

" He said he would. I believe he will."

" Don't you believe the moon is made of green
cheese ? That's Gus Pelham's gas. How can he pay
you when he hasn't half a crown left? If you want
to toadv to him, do it."

" I don't want to toady to any fellow, and Gus Pel-
ham don't want any fellow to toady to him. But he's
a safe fellow to be with, and I'm going with him."



236 SHAMROCK AND THISTLE, OR

"Are you?" demanded Wilton, as his companion
and crony moved towards the door.

" I am."

" I'll bet you won't ! "

"Why not?"

" Because you won't. You and I have hung to-
gether through a good many scrapes, and you are not
going to cut me now."

" Yes, I am, if you don't make terms with Pelham."

" I'm not going to make terms v*^ith Pelham, and
you are not going to cut me," replied Wilton, with a
malicious assurance.

" What's the reason I'm not? "

" Because you are not. If you do one mean thing,
I'll do another."

"What will you do?"

" If you leave me, I'll look out for myself, and put
Lowington on your track and Pelham's within forty-
eight hours. He's over at Belfast, and it wouldn't
take him long to find you after he was informed that
you had been in Glasgow."

Monroe threw his cap down upon the bed. He
had not the courage to cut his' old crony, partly per-
haps from the inherent meanness of the act, and partly
from a fear that Wilton would put his threat into exe-
cution. Wilton smiled at the triumph he had achieved
over his irresolute friend, and for the moment forgot
the desperate situation of the party. But his aching
head soon swept away his exhilaration, and brought
him back to the consciousness of his weak and help-
less situation. He did not want any breakfast. He
had no appetite yet, and he was afraid the landlord



YOUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 237

would wish to know where the money to pay the bill
was to come from.

" Have you any idea what you are going to do,
Wilt ? " asked Monroe, after he had gazed out of the
window in painful silence for a time.

" If we can't do any better, we can ship for the
United States," replied Wilton. " I don't want to do
that, but we can if we are obliged to do so. I'm going
to try something better first."

''What?"

" I'm going to get my money back."

" When you do, you will."

" Well, I will, then. If I only had my money, I
would rather be without Pelham than with him."

" How will you get your money back, I should like
to know ? "

" Call on the police. I had about twenty-five sov-
ereigns in my pocket, you see. That Jock took it from
me. My head was rather muddy ; but I know just
the time when he put his hand into my pocket. I
have an idea that I can find the rascal. He belongs to
that gambling house, and is sent out to haul in flats."

"But where is the gambling house? I'm sure I
couldn't find it."

" I could ; and we will go out and hunt it up by
and by," added Wilton, with a long gape, as he threw
himself upon the bed.

He had not yet recovered from the effects of his
debauch, and presently he dropped asleep. When
he began to snore, Monroe also lay down, and soon
followed the example of his friend. At twelve o'clock
they waked again, feeling much better. They went



228 SHAMROCK AND THISTLE, OR

down to the coffee-room, and took a light breakfast.
Pelham was not in the house. The landlord was as
polite as he had been the day before, and evidently
did not suspect that the exchequer of his guests was
exhausted.

When Wilton and Monroe had finished their meal,
they left the h^use, intent upon finding the place to
which they had been conducted the night before by
Jock Sanderson. Neither of them had any idea of
the route by which they had been led from the gam-
bling house to the hotel, and they went first to the
Theatre Royal. The dram-shop they had first entered,
after the play was over, was readily found. As neither
of them had been very tipsy before they entered the
gambling saloon, their united observation enabled them
at last to find the place. It was closed ; but Wilton
was much encouraged by his success.

While he stood in front of the house, telling Mon-
roe what he intended to do the next morning, a police-
man came along, and Wilton, hoping to enlarge his
knowledge of the locality, touched his cap, and po-
litely saluted the guardian of the city's morals.

" Can you tell me what kind of a house that Is op-
posite ? " he asked, pointing to the building in which
the gambling saloon was located.

" There's a dram-shop in it, and very like some
gambling is done there," replied the officer.

" Very likely there is," added Wilton, significantly.
"Do you know anything of the people who keep the
shop?"

" They are bad people, and very sly. It's not a
regular gambling house, but they filch strangers of
their money occasionally. I am set to watch them."



YOUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 229

" Do you know one Jock Sanderson, who goes
there?" asked Wilton, anxiously.

" I never haird the name before," replied the police-
man, with a smile. '' But the people in yon house
have as monny names as there are feathers in a black-
bird's tail," added the officer, with more zeal than he
had at first manifested ; for he probably began to sus-
pect that the young sailors before him had been vic-
tiinized in the house.

Wilton and Monroe described the personal appear-
ance of Jock so well, that the policeman declared it
was very like a person who frequented the place, and
who had been once arrested for decoying a stranger
into the gambling den.

" Come to this place to-morrow morning, and I will
go in with you," added he. " Have you been filched
in the house?"

" We lost something there last night," replied Wil-
ton, sheepishly.

" Did you, man?" demanded the policeman, eying
the young men from head to foot. " Come to me in the
morning, then, for I shall be glad to catch the rogue
that plundered you."

" We shall get our money, Ike ! " exclaimed Wilton,
as the policeman passed on.

" Perhaps we may."

" I feel pretty sure of it. I think we shall have a
chance to tell Mr. Pelham that it is better to be
robbed than it is to gamble your money away. Come,
we will return to the hotel, for I suppose we cannot
do anything more to-day."

As they walked up the street towards the theatre,
20



230 SHAMROCK AND THISTLE, OR

a young man came out of an alley near the house
which had been the subject of the conversation, and
followed them till they entered the hotel. He paused
a few moments at the door, and then followed them in.

" Where are the young larks who are stopping
here ? " he asked of the landlord.

" Two of them have just gone to their room."

" I wish to see them."

" Show him to No. 19," said the landlord to a ser-
vant ; and the young man was conducted to the room
of the deserters.

Wilton and Monroe had just throw^n themselves on
the beds, lazy rather than tired, though both were still
suffering from their intemperance.

" I feel pretty sure we shall get our money back,"
said Wilton.

" Don't be too sure."

" The policeman knew Jock, though I suppose that
is not his real name. I would like to get my claws
upon that precious villain."

" You never will see him again, I fear," replied the
desponding Monroe.

But at that instant the door opened, and Jock San-
derson — for he was the young man who had followed
them from the alley near the gambling house — entered
the room.

"Jock!" exclaimed Wilton, springing from the
bed ; and his more prudent companion was afraid
he would put his claws upon the precious villain.

" I'm glad to see you, young gentlemen," said Jock,
with every assurance. " I should have called earlier
in the day, but that 1 always make it a rule to go to
the kirk in the forenoon."



YOUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 23 1

" Do you, indeed?" exclaimed Wilton.

" Always," added Jock, taking a chair. " Now
don't you think you are a pretty brace of young larks?
I'll wager a sixpence you haven't been near the kirk
to-day."

" We certainly have not," replied Wilton, taken all
aback by the impudence of Jock.

" You are doubtless sober, and I came to let you
thank me for the good service I did you last night,"
continued Jock, taking a plethoric purse from his
pocket. " Twenty-five sovereigns from one, and ten
from the other," he added, counting out the amounts
named, and handing each to its owner. " Now you
may thank your good fortune that you fell into the
company of an honest young man who goes to the
kirk."

" What do you mean ? " demanded the amazed
Wilton, as he took the twenty-five sovereigns.

"You were drunk last night, — beastly drunk for
young boys as you are. I was sure you would be
robbed of every shilling you had, if I didn't take care
of your money for you. I took it from you when
you were tipsy, and now I return it to you when you
are sober. Take my advice ; don't drink, and go to
the kirk every Sunday, at least once in the da}^"

" You are a good fellow, Jock ! " exclaimed Wilton.
" Don't go yet ; I'll send for a bottle of wine, and
drink your health from it."

" No ; I never drink wine on Sunday," replied Jock,
decidedly. " Where is the other lark that was with
you ? "

" He's gone out."



232 SHAMROCK AND THISTLE, OR

" I have nothing to do with the money he lost by
gambling."

" Certainly you have not," said Wilton, overjoyed at
the recovery of his money, and not caring a straw
about Pelham's losses.

" I saw you in the street talking with a policeman,"
continued Jock. "What was that about?"

" We were looking for the money we had lost."

" Well, you have got that."

" Of course we have no further business with the
police."

" You see, young larks, I took your money from
you to keep you from losing it. You were polite and
civil to me at the theatre, and I wished to do you
a good turn."

" You have done it, and we are very grateful to
you," answered Wilton, with enthusiasm.

" But the policeman might annoy me."

" We will not say anything more to him. We shall
leave Glasgow to-morrow."

The answer seemed to satisfy Jock, and declining
again the invitation to drink, he left the room. Wil-
ton and Monroe were too much bewildered at the
recovery of their lost funds to ask any questions ; but
the fact was, that Jock was a regular gambling house
runner. From the window of the house he had seen
the policeman talking with his victims, and having
been once arrested, he was fearful of the consequences
of his crime. For stealing thirty-five pounds, detec-
tives would follow him all over the United Kingdom.
The officer knew him, and he had purchased the
silence of his dupes by restoring their money.



YOUNG AMERICA IN lUELAND AND SCOTLAND. 233

*' I wonder where Pelham is," said Wilton, after
they had discussed the miraculous recovery of their
money.

" Perhaps he is looking for the money he lost,"
replied Monroe.

" He won't find it."

" Probably not."

" We can afford to ride the high horse now. We
can give him one, and beat him then," chuckled
Wilton.

" We can help him out now."

" We can ; but we won't."

" Do you mean to let him go now we have got our
money back ? "

" Certainly I do ; we can afford to let him go.
Ike, don't you say a word to him about what has hap-
pened. I want to see what he will do, and whether
he is mean enough to leave us. If he is, let him go.
Don't you say a word, nor give him a hint. If you
do, I'll cut you."

" I won't."

" No fellow shall boss me."

Pelham did not come to the room again till bed-
time. He said nothing about the separation, and his
shipmates did not reveal the good fortune which had
astounded them in the afternoon.

The next morning Pelham got up earlier than his
room-mates, and went out. At ten o'clock he re-
turned.

" Monroe, here are the two sovereigns I borrowed
of you," said he, handing him the money. " Now,
good by, fellows."
20*



234 SHAMROCK AND THISTLE, OR

He paid his bill at the bar below, and left the
house.

" He has raised the wind somehov/ or other," said
Monroe.

" Yes ; but I see he no longer wears the gold watch
and chain, which he used to say was worth more than
any other fellow's in the ship. I'll bet he didn't get
twenty pounds for both, though they were worth forty.
Let him go."

Pelham took the next train for Balloch Pier and
Loch Lomond.



YOUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 235



CHAPTER XV.



THE LAND OF BURNS.



AFTER study hours on the day following the
excursion to Glasgow, the officers and crew
of the Young America embarked in the boats for a
visit to Dumbarton, about seven miles up the river.
Though the town is a very pretty place, the principal
object of interest is the castle, which is located on the
point of land between the Clyde and the Leven. It
is built on Dumbarton Rock, which rises abruptly
from the point of junction between the two rivers to
the height of five hundred and sixty feet. It is about
a mile in circumference, and is crowned by two pin-
nacles, the highest of which is called Wallace's Seat,
whereon are the ruins of a tower in which Wallace
was confined. A two-handed sword is exhibited as
his celebrated claymore.

" Young gentlemen," said Professor Mapps, when
the ship's company had seated themselves to rest after
the fatigues of the ascent, " this is a place of great
historic interest. It was one of the four fortified places
required to be kept in repair when England and Scot-
land were united, and has been a stronghold for more
than a thousand years. During the wars between
England and Scotland, in the time of Mary Qiieen of



236 SHAMROCK AND THISTLE, OR

Scots, when Henry VIII. was endeavoring to con-
quer this kingdom, it was the scene of several impor-
tant events. The King of France espoused the cause
of Mary, and sent a fleet and army to assist the Scotch.
As the young queen, then only six years old, was not
safe in her own disturbed kingdom, it was deemed
advisable by her friends to convey her to France.
She was brought to this place from Stirling, and em-
barked in a French man-of-war which lay in the river
below us.

" This fortress was captured in the reign of Mary,
in a very remarkable manner, by Captain Crawford,
one of the English king's adherents. On a very dark
night, with a small party of picked men, he conveyed
his scaling ladders to a point beneath the highest and
steepest part of the rock, concluding that it would be
less vigilantly guarded than the more exposed posi-
tions. He was assisted by a deserter from the castle,
who was to act as his guide. The first ladder that
was raised broke beneath the weight of the soldier
who ascended it ; but as no sentinels were within
hearing of this part of the rock, the noise did not
betray the party, and Crawford renewed the attempt
in person. The first precipice was successfully scaled,
and the bold little band stood on a shelf of the rock,
ready to attempt the second height. The scaling lad-
der was placed in position for this purpose, and the
adventurers commenced the ascent. When half way
up, one of the soldiers was seized with an epileptic
fit, brought on by terror or over-exertion, and could
neither go up nor down. It was cruel to throw him
over, and the noise of his fall might alarm the garri-



YOUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 337

son ; so Crawford lashed him to the ladder. The
party descended, turned the ladder over, and went up
with the man tied to the under side. The summit of
the rock was gained, a sleepy sentinel killed before he
had time to give the alarm, and the garrison effectually
surprised."

" But what became of the man in the fit?" asked
one of the students, when the professor ended his nar-
rative.

" I don't know ; I suppose they hoisted him up or
down when they had more time to spare," laughed
Mr. Mapps. " I do not vouch for the truth of the
story, for such events are very often grossly exagger-
ated. At a later period, and under more prosperous
circumstances, Mary visited the rock again ; and
Queen Victoria, on her way to the Highlands, in 1847,
stopped at the castle."

The boats returned to the ship at an early hour, and
as soon as they were hoisted up at the davits, to the
astonishment of the crew, all hands were piped to
unmoor ship. When the anchor was hove short, and
the sail-loosers were at work in the rigging, a party
of a dozen ladies and gentlemen came off in a shore-
boat with Mr. Fluxion. A pilot was already on board,
and in a few moments the Young America was stand-
ing down the river. As soon as the ship was under
way, the party from the shore were introduced to the
officers. Among them were four young ladies and
two young gentlemen, with whom the after-cabin
officers were soon on very intimate terms.

" This was rather a sudden movement, — was it
not?" asked Paul of his friend, the doctor.



338 SHAMROCK AND THISTLE, OR

" It was decided upon this forenoon ; but we are
not going far to-night," replied the surgeon.

"How far?"

" We shall anchor in Rothesay Bay, at the Island
of Bute. It is not more than fifteen miles distant, and
if the breeze holds we shall be there by nine o'clock.
You have pleasant company, Paul," added Dr. Win-
stock.

" Not so pleasant as it w^as in Belfast," laughed the
lieutenant.

" No ? Why, Miss Rose McLeish is the prettiest
girl I have seen in the United Kingdom."

" That may be ; but she don't please me as well as
a certain young lady I met in Belfast," added Paul,
desperately, and with a blush in spite of his effort to
be brave.

" Miss Grace Arbuckle — well, I suppose not. By
the way, Paul, have you written to Grace, as you
promised ? "

" Of course I have."

" How many times?"

" Three ; twice while we were in the north of Ire-
land, and once since we anchored here," replied Paul,
who looked just then as though he was counting the
seams in the quarter-deck.

" You must keep cool, my young friend. Once a
month, I should say, would be often enough for a boy
of sixteen to write to a young lady," added the doctor,
a little more solemnly. " Of course they were love
letters.'*

" Of course they were not, sir. I never wrote a
love-letter in my life, and I don't think I ever shall.
Do you think, doctor, I'm such a fool as that?"



YOUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 339

" I think you like Miss Grace very well, Paul."

" So I do, as a friend."

" Exactly so," replied Dr. Winstock, with a signifi-
cant nod. " How long letters did you write?"

" From eight to twelve pages ; but I only told her
about the ship, and what we saw at the Giant's Cause-
way. In the last one, which was twelve pages, I de-
scribed our run from Port Rush, and what we did and
saw in Glasgow and Greenock," replied Paul, quite
earnest in defending himself from the charge of writ-
ing love-letters.

"Is that all?"

" Of course I couldn't help alluding to the pleasant
time we had in Belfast, and on the excursion to Arran.
I'm sure I never had such a good time in all my life."

" I suppose not. Do you think you would have
had just as good a time if Miss Grace had not been
on board?"

" Certainly not ; but I am entirely willing that
Grace should show my letters to her father and
mother."

" Then it must be all right, Paul."

" Why, I wrote to her just as I do to my sister ;
and I will show you her letter, if I get one," added
the lieutenant.

" I do not ask that, Paul, and I should not read one
of Miss Arbuckle's letters to you. I only wished to
say that you are rather young to open a sentimental
correspondence with a young lady. If you confine
it to writing about your travels and the history of the
ship's movements, it will all be very well. Captain
Gordon seems to appreciate Miss McLeish, if you



240 SHAMROCK AND THISTLE, OR

don't," added the doctor, as he glanced to the weather-
side, where the guests were promenading with some
of the officers and the faculty.

" Well, lads, you have a jolly time of it," said
Arthur McLeish, a young gentleman of sixteen, as
he stepped up to the second lieutenant.

" Speaking for myself, I can say we do," replied
Paul.

"You must have fine times on board," added the
Scotch boy. " I wonder could I get into the ship."

" I'lTi afraid not. Our number is full, and every
berth is taken. But it isn't all fun on board, I can
tell you. We have to work hard at our studies, and
perhaps you wouldn't like to stand your watch at
night in a cold north-east gale," suggested Paul.

" O, I wouldn't mind that. My father is going to
try to get me in as a pupil. Are all the berths in
the cabin taken?"

" In the cabin ! " exclaimed Paul. " Do you expect
to begin as an officer ? "

" Sairt'nly I do," replied the applicant.

" Perhaps you would like to go as captain."

" That would just suit me as well as anything,"
replied Arthur, seriously.

" Our fourth lieutenant is away, and perhaps you
are willing to take his place," laughed Paul.

" I would even take that."

" Perhaps your father can induce the principal to
give you that berth."

" I will ask him at once to try," continued the ap-
plicant, as he began to move towards the place where
Mr. Lowington was talking with the older of his
guests.



YOUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 24I

"Hold on a minute J" called Paul. "Perhaps
you are not aware that the officers have to take charge
of the ship during their watch. Can you tell me
what orders you would give when the ship is to go
in stays."

" Go in what? I don't know what you mean."

" What would you say to the quartermaster, if you
wished to put the ship on the other tack."

" I haven't the least idea."

" Then I fear you would not answer for an officer,"
replied Paul, good naturedly.

" I could soon lairn."

But Paul, without " putting on airs," convinced the
young Scotch gentleman that he was not competent
to be an officer. Then he took him down into the
steerage, and showed him how the crew lived and
studied, explained to him the routine of ship's duty, and
of study ; and Arthur was finally reasonable enough to
say he would like to join the ship as an occupant
of the steerage, which was certainly very condescend-
ing in him.

At nine o'clock, the Avlnd still blowing fresh from
the north-west, the ship came to anchor off Rothesay,
at the head of the bay. The visitors on board were
landed, and went to a hotel, as there were not accom-
modations on board for them.

After study hours, the next day, the whole ship's
company went on shore to visit Rothesay Castle, once
the residence of the kings of Scotland, and to take a
run upon the island. At five o'clock the crew and the
guests were on board again. The ship was unmoored,
and, in charge of a pilot, sailed to the southward ; but
21



242 SHAMROCK AND THISTLE, OR

the wind was very light, and it was not till sunrise
the next morning that she anchored off Ayr. The
officers had given up the after-cabin to the guests,
when it was found that the ship could not reach her
anchorage that night, sleeping in vacant berths or
on the floor in the steerage.

It was Sunday when the ship dropped anchor in
the harbor of Ayr ; and though Mr. Lowington of-
fered to land the guests in the morning, none of the
students were permitted to go on shore. Religious
services were held under the awnings on deck, which
were attended by all on board. Towards night the
party from Greenock were landed.

At the usual hour for recreation, the boats were
lowered, and all hands went on shore at Ayr, which
is the birthplace of Burns, the national poet of Scot-
land, The town and its vicinity is generally called
The Land of Burns. "The Two Brigs of Ayr"
were pointed out to them by the Scotch people in
the party ; but there was hardly one among them who
ever heard of the poem relating to them.

" Never haird of the brigs of Ayr ! " exclaimed
Arthur McLeish, when Paul Kendall confessed that
he was ignorant of the existence of any such poem.
"You must be vairy ignorant in Amairica."

" We are ; we don't know anything. Of course
you have read the poem."

" Indeed I have. It's about two bridges, one of
which talked to the other," replied Arthur.

" Do you think it a better poem than Evangeline?"

" I never haird of Evangeline."

" Never heard of it ! " exclaimed Paul. " How
ignorant you must be here in Scotland ? "



YOUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 243

"Who wrote it?"

" Mr. Longfellow."

" Who is he ? He's no' much of a poet, or I should
have haird of him. Sairt'nly you will not think of