A Millionaire at Sixteen by Oliver Optic

"Bound to England, is it? " exclaimed Felix, jumping up from the bench on which he was seated. "And will we shtop in swate Ireland on the way? That would give me a chance to foind where me grand-dad is buried in the province of Munshter, in the county of Watherford, and the parish of Ballinyfad."

"I don't believe we shall stop on the way, Flix; at least not so far over as Ireland," added Louis. "I am very sorry, Captain Ringgold, that I have got you into such a bad scrape."

"It is no worse for me than for you and your mother. It will stir up my blood a little; for I was getting so lazy and rusty that I needed something to wake me up," replied the captain as cheerfully as though he had a personal interest in the proceedings of the party. "My first idea was that, as you are a millionaire, the banditti had captured us in order to get a big ransom out of you. If I had seen you again I intended to advise you not to pay them a red copper; and I am one to help you hang the whole troop at the fore-yard arm."

"I don't know what is the fore-yard arrum, but that is what I'd loike to have you do, me darlint! " exclaimed Felix with enthusiasm.

"Don't talk so loud, Flix; I don't care to attract the attention of the villains before we are ready to receive them," interposed Louis.

"Whisht, is it? " whispered Felix.

"I am not in the hanging business, and I should rather send Scoble to Sing-Sing for a term of years than suspend him to the fore-yard arm," replied Louis. "There are warrants out for his arrest."

As Captain Ringgold was likely to become an actor in the drama in progress, the leader decided to inform him at once in regard to the history of his mother's marriage to Scoble, and to the subsequent events connected with that union.

It did not take him long to relate enough to enable the captain to understand the present situation fully; and the shipmaster promptly volunteered to do all in his power to enable the party to get out of the hole into which they had tumbled. In fact, he was enthusiastic enough to become a knight-errant himself in the service of the lady in the cabin; for she was still fair, and popular enough at the Park to enlist all his sympathies.

"The vessel is easier, and they have doubtless put a reef in the foresail and mainsail," said Captain Ringgold, after the history of the Belgrave family had been fully considered. "I suppose it is about time to expect a visit from the captain of this craft, and it is rather important to agree upon the ceremonies with which he is to be received."

"Pon me wurrud I don't believe in any ceremonies at all, at all," said Felix, "unless we eshcort him to the fore-yard arrum to the music of a brickbat in a tin pan, and h'ist him up while we all whistle ‘Pop goes the weasel!"

"Be quiet and reasonable, Flix; this is not just the time to make fun," added Louis. "I think you will be comfortable here if I leave you for a time, Captain Ringgold; for my mother is in a stateroom in the cabin, and I must look out for her."

"Will I go wid ye's, Louis, darlint? " asked Felix, rising from the bench.

"No, you will not go with me, Flix."

"Perhaps Oi'd betther go wid ye's," replied the Milesian, as he put his hand in his right hip-pocket.

"No; you don't need that now."

But Felix drew from the pocket a revolver of medium size, and held it up before his companions.

"Put it away, Flix! " said Louis sharply. "You have no use for that now, and you are not to show it except in an emergency, such as I explained to you."

"I just wanted to look at the pretty toy," replied Felix, as he returned the weapon to his pocket. "It does me hairt good to luk at it, and it gives me a whole tub full of stringth and confidence in meself. I advoise ye's to luk at the one in your pocket, darlint, for it'll be loike puttin' an exthra man inside your coat wid ye's."

"I know that I have it, and that is enough for me. If my mother thought I was likely to shoot a human being, even her worst and only enemy in the world, I believe she would jump overboard; and I don't know but I should do so myself if I thought I should do such a thing," continued Louis.