308 THE RIVER. 



when crack ! crack ! crack ! comes three 

 shot right in amongst us, and sure one 

 on 'em takes a poor crather right in the 

 shoulther. ■ Och murther, I'm kilt,' says he, 

 without spaking a word, for fear it would 

 frighten the hoys. So thin we all pushed 

 forward, and, sure, when we got up, there 

 was Micky Rowan, and the divel a sowl else, 

 hanging hard at the door, and them black- 

 guard Peelers poking their carbines out of 

 the winders. Well, your riverence, the 

 boys just lets drive at them half-a-dozen shot 

 to ask them to be civil, and that it just did, 

 and we sat smoking and talking with them 

 mighty comfortable till Pheny 'd cut the 

 nets to smithereens." 



" Upon my word, Pat, you seem to have 

 managed this business cleverly enough, and 

 really I think Micky ought to be a general 

 as well as a counsellor ; and so he will be, if 

 he is not hanged first. But tell me, why 

 did you not let me know this yesterday? 

 What was the use of humbugging us with 

 that story of yours ?" 



"And who'd have been the fool, then?" 

 said Pat. " Do you think I'd be after telling 



