In Ireland Borrowing Boats. 243 



whether he would return home, or venture the expe- 

 dition by himself. 



He at once answered that he would spend a few 

 days in Dublin, and then, if Brady could not join 

 him, go on by himself. He had scarcely finished his 

 breakfast when a reply came that the doctor would 

 leave for Dublin next day. On his arrival they pro- 

 ceeded at once to Westport, which they reached late 

 at night. 



Next morning they arranged with a man they met 

 on the pier to go with them to dredge. He said he 

 had a boat of his own. They sent him to the hotel 

 for their apparatus. He went, and did not reappear till 

 after a very long interval, and then, much to their 

 annoyance and disgust, bringing only a part of what 

 he had been sent for. 



While he was away fetching the remainder, a 

 policeman came up and asked them who had given 

 them leave to take the boat. They explained their 

 arrangement with the man whose return they were 

 expecting, but were told that this man had nothing 

 to do with the boat. 



Since there were no other boats to be seen, they 

 expressed their great disappointment at the idea of 

 losing the use of this one. The policeman, however, 

 said that he knew the owner of the boat, and that he 

 could venture to let them have it for a time. This, 

 indeed, was no more than their dilatory assistant had 

 already ventured to do. At last they got afloat, but 

 found their man a most unmanageable fellow. See- 

 ing that they could do little good with him, before 

 long they turned their course homewards. They had 



