228 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



chair and one on mine, with his head craned forward 

 in the space above our shoulders to watch the effect 

 of his words, spoke to us in his most Irishly-persuasive 

 voice, 'Shure thin you jintlemin will be shlaping on 

 the dhrawing-room flure to-night.' 



Pat made much of * dhrawing-room flure,' as no 

 doubt he desired us to know it was a very superior 

 place, and then, after a pause, and with a slight bend 

 of his head, he added, 'and it will be ladies thimselves 

 that will be shlaping in the beds.' I assure all and 

 sundry that it was quite a shy eye that ran round the 

 table to see which amongst the many ladies was to 

 occupy my berth. Of course I was baffled in my 

 search, but I gallantly determined I would say to either 

 of them — as I was in duty bound — 'Madam, take my 

 bed, take my room, you are welcome to both, as I have 

 a fancy for the "dhrawing-room flure" to-night.' 

 Then I turned to Emery, and from his face I guessed 

 that his thoughts were with the landlord who had 

 sent the message rather than with the ladies. My guess 

 was right, for he rose up at once and said, 'Leave 

 this to me, Geen.' But I was not inchned to let him 

 beard the lion in his den alone, so insisted on accom- 

 panying him. Apologies we found in numbers, but 

 these Emery brushed aside until close quarters were 

 reached as to whom the rooms belonged to and, finally, 

 whose hotel it was. Here I interposed with, 'May 

 I ask, Mr Landlord, where you yourself are hoping 

 to sleep to-night?' and, on his replying, 'In my bed/ 

 I offered the suggestion that the ladies should have 

 his room; but he would not take it. Then Emery, 

 ever direct, and sometimes suspicious, said to him, 

 'Tell us which of the ladies desire our rooms, and 

 perhaps we shall be able to arrange matters.' This 

 was a poser, and brought out the truth that they 

 were fifteen miles away, at \\'estport, waiting a wire 

 to come on. So this pother was ended by our keeping 

 our rooms. 



