"Is it blind you are, that you didn't hear the 'bus?" cried a somewhat gruff voice, with an accent that told of a land he liked well; and Tony turned and saw a stout, strongly built young fellow, dressed in a sort of bluish frieze, and with a bundle on a stick over his shoulder. He was good-looking, but of a more serious cast of features than is common with the lower-class Irish.
"I see," said Tony, "that I owe this good turn to a countryman. You're from Ireland?"
"Indeed, and I am, your honor, and no lie in it," said he, reddening, as if--although there was nothing to be ashamed of by the avowal--popular prejudice lay rather in the other direction.
"I don't know what I was thinking of," said Tony, again; and even yet his head bad not regained its proper calm. "I forgot all about where I was, and never heard the horses till they were on me."
"'Tis what I remarked, sir," said the other, as with his sleeve he brushed the dirt off Tony's coat. "_I_ saw you was like one in a dhream."
"I wish I had anything worth offering you," said Tony, reddening, while he placed the last few shillings he had in the other's palm.
"What's this for?" said the man, half angrily; "sure you don't think it's for money I did it;" and he pushed the coin back almost rudely from him.
While Tony assuaged, as well as he might, the anger of his wounded pride, they walked on together for some time, till at last the other said, "I'll have to hurry away now, your honor; I 'm to be at Blackwall, to catch the packet for Derry, by twelve o'clock."
"The 'Foyle,' sir. She's to sail this evening, and I have my passage paid for me, and I mustn't lose it."
"If I had my luggage, I 'd go in her too. I want to cross over to Ireland."
"And where is it, sir,--the luggage, I mean?"
"Oh, it's only a portmanteau, and it's at the Tavistock Hotel, Covent Garden."
"If your honor wouldn't mind taking charge of this," said he, pointing to his bundle, "I 'd be off in a jiffy, and get the trunk, and be back by the time you reached the steamer."
"Would you really do me this service? Well, here 's my card; when you show this to the waiter, he 'll hand you the portmanteau; and there is nothing to pay."
"All right, sir; the 'Foyle,' a big paddle-steamer,--you 'll know her red chimney the moment you see it;" and without another word he gave Tony his bundle and hurried away.