THE BALLYHILLY STEEPLECHASE 149 



believe," was the Squire's response to this double-edge, 

 yet all too easily comprehended, thrust. 



" There's none to bate it," replied Denis, with a 

 pleased look of expectation beaming on his face, which 

 betrayed happy anticipations in the very near future ; 

 but his expression changed to that of a Galho-Hke 

 listener, and he shifted uneasily from one leg to the 

 other, as the Squire passed on to reply to the subject 

 broached by the farmer. 



" Well, Denis," said he, " if you really mean to 

 maintain your reputation as a horseman " 



" An' they say it's made out iv the Liffey, your 

 honour ; but sure, if it is, it must be the mighty grand 

 wather the Dublin people dhrink," interjected the old hare- 

 hunter, who had evidently never grasped the import of 

 this colloquial teetotal aspersion of his favourite beverage. 



" I'll mount you on old Kitty, and you know there's 

 not a better chaser nor lepper for miles round, and " 



" An' sure it's both mate an' kitchen that same 

 porther is, your honour, whatever it's made iv, and " 



" For heaven's sake fill Denis a tumbler of stout, or 

 we shall never get any forrarder with this match," said 

 the Squire to Boniface. " And now let's arrange the 

 preHminaries : I'll give a bacon-pig and a hunting-crop 

 to the winner." 



" And, by your honour's leave, I'll throw in a keg of 

 Denis's favourite stout," echoed the host, amidst a 

 murmur of applause from the baker's dozen or so of the 

 rustic audience. 



