252 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



answered with : "Shure and it's plinty of donkeys 

 we have." 



"Then please fetch two," I said, to which Harry 

 added : " Yes, two more, please, for we would do this 

 overland journey in state so that mine host at the 

 other end may be impressed and give us of his 

 best." 



" Be jabers if it's three donkeys we are for taking 

 it's the same will be six when he sees them." 



I looked at Pat as severely as I could for ex- 

 planation. 



" Shure thin it's not for displasing jintlemen I am 

 talking ; it's yer honours that are not seeing the fun 

 I am shpaking av." 



I certainly did not. 



The three donkeys varied much in size. In the 

 rear was a large animal carrying our two leather 

 trunks, stuck on end, one in each pannier. The 

 female donkey, that had bent her back so obligingly 

 to help her loaders, was in the centre and carried 

 all the sundries. The front of the position was 

 occupied by a little animal that had the rod box- 

 that had looked so large at Dugort pointing 

 threateningly much beyond his ears and backward 

 far beyond his tail. A little crowd had gathered to 

 see the strange show make a start to ascend the 

 hill and, strange and funny as it was, Irish polite- 

 ness saved the situation from laughter or audible 

 remarks. 



The driver was level in his attention to the 

 animals, both with stick and tongue, and now and 

 then favoured me with a little talk that was princi- 

 pally in riddles which he appeared to think would 

 solve themselves ; and they did. The journey was 



