548 THE TUSKAH ROCK. 



thing of their conversation, I could observe that the younger mem- 

 bers of it jeered and bantered them without mercy, whilst the older 

 seemed to look more thoughtful and serious ; and one old woman in 

 particular seemed by her gestures to entreat them to return with the 

 party. With one of the trio, and the youngest too, she succeeded, 

 but the other two remained obstinate, and finding they could not re- 

 gain their companion turned on their heels and walked away, pur- 

 sued by a general shout from the whole party. As I saw they were 

 directing their steps towards the gap in which I stood, curiosity in- 

 duced me to wait for them to come up, which they very quickly did, 

 and saluted me with " God save you ; a fine evening, God bless it." 

 God save you kindly, I replied, and we entered into conversation ; 

 but I found them very anxious to get rid of me, and could learn 

 nothing from them of their late meeting, or where they were going ; 

 besides, they walked so fast that I could with very great difficulty 

 keep up with them, though I prided myself in being a good walker. 

 We therefore very soon wished good evening and parted ; and by 

 the time I got to the river's bank they were nearly across. I was 

 obliged to wait until the cot returned, so sat down in an old fisher- 

 man's cabin, and very soon learned all I wanted to know about my 

 late companions, it was a very curious story, and I shall give it in 

 the words, as nearly as I can recollect, of the old woman, the fisher- 

 man's wife, who told it. 



Jack Devereux and his brother Bill lived in the town of Oylegate; 

 they were very poor, and worked as day-labourers up and down the 

 country, and they were mighty hard set to live at all. Jack was 

 always a lively rattling bolium skeeogh * kind of a fellow ; nothing 

 could cow him, at least if you'd believe himself. Bill Devereux was 

 a great deal steadier and soberer, and signs by it ; Bill was always 

 clean and decent in the chapel-yard of a Sunday : and Jack used to 

 be flying, almost in rags, but never a mind Jack minded it, so as 

 he got the sup now and then, 'twas all one to him. Well, some time 

 ago Jack had been up at Mr. Percival's, of Currant-tree, over the 

 water, where he got his dinner and a glass of whiskey, and set off 

 home just at nightfall. Well, his short cut was through Arkand- 

 ridgej 'twasn't very dark, nor very light, but there was a little 

 moon, and when he got among the trees it got mighty dark entirely. 

 Well, Jack was a little frightened, and by the time he got into the 

 middle of the church-yard his heart failed 'him, and he turned back 

 to go round it. Well, just as he was leaping off the ditch into the 

 field outside, a beautiful white greyhound, with a great gold collar 

 round his neck, stood just by his side, and seemed to wait for him. 

 Well, Jack walked up towards it, and when he got within two or 

 three perch of it, the dog ran on a little, and stopped again with 

 his eyes fixed on Jack ; and when he whistled, the greyhound wagged 

 his tail to encourage him like, but wouldn't let him get nearer than 

 before. Jack began to think it was one of Capt. Percival's hounds 

 that had followed him down from the big house, and began to shout 



* Bolium skeeogh means a kind of devil-may-care sort of fellow. 



