216 DELICATE EXCAVATION. 



to work : an old woman was called in from an adjoining cabin, 

 the windows were opened, the room cleared, the floor swept, the 

 relics removed, and the fire lighted in the kitchen. The piper was 

 taken away senseless, but my brother would not suffer either Joe 

 or Alley to be disturbed till breakfast was ready. No time was 

 lost ; and, after a very brief interval, we had before us abundance 

 of fine eggs, and milk fresh from the cow, with brandy, sugar and 

 nutmeg in plenty ; a large loaf, fresh butter, a cold round of beef, 

 which had not been produced on the previous day, red herrings, 

 and a bowl dish of potatoes, roasted on the turf ashes ; in ad- 

 dition to which, ale, whiskey, and port made up the refreshments. 

 All being duly in order, we at length awakened Joe Kelly, and 

 Peter Alley his neighbour : they had slept soundly, though with 

 no other pillow than the wall ; and my brother announced break- 

 fast with a view holloa ! * 



The twain immediately started and roared in unison with their 

 host most tremendously ! it was however in a very different tone 

 from the view holloa, and perpetuated much longer. 



" Come, boys, " says French, giving Joe a pull " come ! " 



" Oh, murder ! " says Joe " I can't ! " " Murder ! murder ! " 

 echoed Peter. French pulled them again, upon which they roared 

 the more, still retaining their places. I have in my life-time 

 laughed till I nearly became spasmodic; but never were my risible 

 muscles put to greater tension than upon this occasion. The wall 

 as I said before, had only that day received a coat of mortar, and 

 of course was quite soft and yielding when Joe and Peter thought 

 proper to make it their pillow ; it was nevertheless setting fast 

 from the heat and lights of an eighteen hours carousal ; and, in 

 the morning, when my brother awakened his guests, the mortar 

 had completely set, and their hair being the thing most calculated 

 to amalgamate therewith, the entire of Joe's stock, together \\\\\\ 

 his queue, and half his head, was thoroughly and irrecoverably 

 bedded in the greedy and now marble cement, so that if deter- 

 mined to move, he must have taken the wall along with him, for 

 separate it would not. One side of Peter's head was in the sainr- 

 state of imprisonment. Nobody was able to assist them, and 

 there they both stuck fast. 



A consultation was now held on this pitiful case, which I malici- 

 ously endeavoured to prolong as much as J could, and which \v;* 

 in fact every now and then interrupted by a roar from Peter or 



* The shout of hunters when the game is in view. 



