THE HORSEMEN 43 



shower. I got into a Welsh cabin almost as l)ad 

 as an Irish one. There were only an old Welsh 

 woman sifting flour who understood no English, 

 and a l)oy ayIio fell 'a roaring for fear of me. 

 Watt (otherwise called unfortunate Jack) ran 

 home for my coat, but stayed so long that I came 

 home in worse rain without him, and he was so 

 lucky to miss me, but took good care to convey 

 the key of ni}^ room where a fire Avas ready for me. 

 So I cooled my heels in the Parlour till he came, 

 but called for a glass of Brandy. I have been 

 cooking myself dry, and am now in my night 

 goAvn. . . . And so I AA^ait for dinner. I shall 

 dine like a King all alone, as I ha\'e done these 

 six days. As it hapj^ened, if I had gone straight 

 from Chester to Park-gate 8 miles I should have 

 been in Dublin on Sunday last. Noav Michaelmas 

 aj^proaches, the Avorst time in the year for the sea, 

 and this rain has made these parts uuAvalkable, 

 so I must either Avrite or doze. Bite, Avlien we 

 Avere in the Avild cabin I order Watt to take a 

 cloth and Avipe my wet goAvn and cassock : it 

 happened to be a meal-bag, and as my goAvn dryed 

 it Avas all daul3ed Avitli flour Avell cemented Avitli 

 the rain. AYliat do I but see the gown and cassock 

 Avell dryed in my room, and A\hile Watt Avas at 

 dinner I Avas an hour rubbing the meal out of 

 them, and did it exactly^ He is just come up, 

 and I ha\'e gravely bid him take them doAvn to 

 rub them, and I Avait Avhether he Avill find out 

 AA^hat I haAX been doing. The Bogue is come up 

 in six minutes, and says there Avere but few specks 



