148 MY FIRST AND LAST STEEPLE-CHASE 



" All right, Barney — what do you think of the 

 weather ? " 



" Sorra one of me likes it, at all. Them thieves of 

 seals are rollin 1 about like purposes, and it isn't for 

 nothin' they do that same. It'll be a Ballintogher 

 wind, too, before long, I'm thinkin'." 



" A what ? " I exclaimed. 



" The very question the captain axed my brother. 

 It was the first time iver he went to say, and they 

 wor lyin' somewhere off Afrikay. The captin was 

 walkin' the quarter-deck when my brother comes 

 up to him, and says, ' Captain Leslie, you had 

 better shorten sail.' 



" ' Why so ? ' ses the captin, very sharp. 



" ' Bekase it's a Ballintogher wind.' 



" ' And what the d — 1 wind may that be ? ' 



" ' Oh murther ! ' ses my brother. ' There you 

 are, wandherin' about the world all yer life, and 

 didn't hear of a Ballintogher wind, when there isn't 

 a gossoon in my counthry doesn't know the village 

 it comes from, and that it niver brought anything 

 but cowld storm and misforthin' along with it.' 



" Well, with that, they all tuk to laughin' like to 

 split their sides at my brother, an' the captin, he 

 towld him to go forrid and mind his work ; but 

 faith, they worn't laughin' two hours afther, when 

 the ship rowled the masts out of her, and they 



