O'GRADY'S FOX 79 



the lane. Indeed, he was beginning to think that he 

 would have to lead her ignominiously home, when the 

 little round cobbler emerged from a gap in the hedge, 

 puffing and blowing like a stranded grampus. 



" An' has the ould baste put ye down, Denis ? " 

 wheezed out McLoughlin, when he had sufficiently re- 

 covered his breath to speak. 



" Musha, ye ould fool, ye should know betther nor 

 ask such a question, for ye've niver seen the horse yet 

 thet'd put me down. Sm-e, I got off to tighten the girths, 

 for me hunter blew herself out Hke the blacksmith's 

 bellows when I put the saddle on her this mornin'." 



" But, troth, an' your hat looks like ould Barney the 

 sexton's melojin," continued the cobbler, as he eyed the 

 shapeless form of the beaver. 



" Arrah, Micky, I jumped on the top iv it, for it fell 

 off when I was gettin' down ; but don't stand bletherin' 

 like an ijiot, so give me a leg up, for Terry'U be cursin' 

 me like a throoper for not givin' him a hand wid the 

 hounds, an' meself dyin' to be up wid thim into the 

 bargain." 



The cobbler did as requested, eyeing the while the 

 half yard of black tape from which the hat was suspended, 

 and wondering by what sort of miracle the beaver could 

 possibly have got beneath O' Grady's feet. 



Bidding Micky to keep as close to the mare's heels as 

 possible if he wanted to see any more of the run that day, 

 away ambled Denis in pursuit of the hounds, whose 

 voices by this time had almost died away. A ten 



