I could not see over the thick standing group of men, and I did not, of course, dare to push through them to catch sight of our heroes and the man they had saved.

But a little apart from the rest, two Irish sailors were standing and bandying the harshest of brogues with such vehemence that I drew near, hoping at least to hear something of what I could not see.

It was a spirited, and one would have guessed an angry dialogue, so like did it sound to the yapping and snapping of two peppery-tempered terriers.

But it was only vehement, and this was the sum of it.
"Bedad! but it's quare ye must have felt at the time." "I did not, unless it would be when Tom stepped out into the water, GOD bless him! with the rope aisy round his waist, and the waves drowning him intirely, and the corpse holding on to the boat's bottom for the dear life." "Pat!" said the other in mysterious tones, "would that that's hanging round his neck be the presarving of him, what ?" "And why wouldn't it?
But isn't he the big fool to be having it dangling where the wash of a wave, or a pickpocket, or a worse timptation than either might be staling it away from him ?" "And where else would he put it ?" "Did ye ever git the sight of mine ?" "I did not." "On the back of me ?" "What ?" "Look here, now!" cried Pat, in the tones of one whose patience was entirely exhausted.

His friend drew nearer, and I also ventured to accept an invitation not intended for me, so greatly was my curiosity roused by what the men said.
Pat turned his back to us as rapidly as he had spoken, and stooping at about half-leap-frog-angle, whipped his wet shirt upwards out of his loosely-strapped trousers, baring his back from his waist to his shoulder-blades.