TUBBER TURNER. 355 



" Do you know," said the Barrister, " the 

 thing was as near as possible being done in 

 broad daylight, and at the very time when 

 the trial was going on. I wish it had, it 

 would have made a capital story ; and it was 

 a well-conceived idea, too. Don't you re- 

 member noticing how the people kept slip- 

 ping out of the court, and that just at the 

 most interesting part of the trial, and before 

 any one could have the least idea whether 

 the charge would be brought home to the 

 prisoners or not ? Would you believe it ? 

 the plan was, — then and there, while part of 

 their number were being tried for precisely 

 the same offence, to take advantage of the 

 Peelers being all occupied in the court, and 

 to go down in a body and destroy at once 

 those new nets that Hector was unguarded 

 enough to let on about. It would have 

 succeeded from its very boldness, had they 

 contrived to be a little quieter about it ; but 

 Hector, who, to do him justice, is shrewd 

 enough for anything, had the wit to divine 

 that Paddy would hardly leave his friends in 

 trouble, and a court of justice in full swing, 

 without some very powerful attraction, so he 

 applied at once for his posse, and marched 



