THE BALLYHILLY BEAGLES 21 



he cut with his bare arms sticking out beyond several 

 inches of coarse Irish lace and linen. 



" An' it's the illigant shirt you have on to-day, Denis, 

 wid the beautiful lace where the sleeves ought to be," 

 roared one of the assembled rioters. 



" An' it's the illigant lot of blackguards ye are to tear 

 the coat off the back of the man that larnt yez how to lay 

 on the best ' cry of dogs ' in the country," repHed Denis, 

 not wishing to discuss the subject of his linen. 



" Musha, lave off about the coat, Denis, that's past 

 praying for ; but sure it's the foine shirt we're ad- 

 miring." 



" An' if I wasn't a sportsman out and out, d'ye think 

 I'd be afther wearing the ould 'ooman's ? Didn't I pawn 

 me own to back Joe Murphy's ' Betsy ' for the Loughbally 

 Steeplechase ? Och, you're the disthressin' set of 

 villains altogether ! " cried Denis, as he stood shivering 

 and abashed at the unexpected exposure of his under- 

 wear. 



Denis was made to undergo the further penance of 

 being "chaired" on the shoulders of the hare-hunters 

 to the " Bally hilly Arms," and great was the joy of 

 the villagers as they flocked into the street to swell 

 the procession on its way to the hostelry, where the 

 " wake " of the green coat was kept up quite as en- 

 thusiastically as was the " christening." 



