CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
LORD EDWARD.
Captain Swift, himself an Irishman, when he understood that I was desirous of spending my leave of absence in Donegal, was gracious enough to appoint me his secretary for the time being, and thus made easy what might otherwise have been a difficult journey.

The captain's destination was a few miles south of Derry, where his family resided, so that I was brought well on my way.
Our journey took us through Dublin, in which city the captain remained some days, to confer with the naval authorities there as to the future service of the _Diana_ in Irish waters.

During that short halt I had time to look about me, and form some impressions of a place of which I had so often heard but never yet seen.
I am not going to trouble my readers with those impressions.

Indeed, when it came to looking about me, I found my attention taken hold of by matters far more important than streets and edifices.
On the day before our departure for the north, one of my first errands was to the coach-office, to engage places for the captain and myself for the journey.

I had done this, and was about to quit the yard, when a private travelling coach, evidently about to start (for it was piled with baggage on the top), drew up at the gate, to take on board a sack of corn for the horses.
It was evidently the equipage of a wealthy man.