We landed at a point of the coast some miles distant from Cork, and it was dark before we reached the military barracks of that town, which, for the present, appeared to be our destination.
"I had not the slightest idea of what we were to do on shore.

From our being so heavily armed, I knew it was no mere escort or parade duty that was in question, and began to think there was work of some kind on hand.

This gave me no kind of uneasiness.

I only wondered whatever it could be, for there was clearly a mystery of some kind or other.
Were we going to besiege Paddy, in his own peaceable city of Cork?
Had some of the peep-o'-day boys been burning down farmer Magrath's ricks again?
or was there a private still to be routed out and demolished?
I could not tell.
"Half an hour after our arrival, I was called into a private room by the lieutenant, who was seated at a table with a package of clothes beside him.

The first lieutenant of the _Norfolk_, I must remark, was a bit of an original.