128 SPORTING REMINISCENCES 



Lefftenant — that he'd brought down the river to 

 be trated hke this." 



They were fed then, royally. The best bedroom 

 aired and made ready, tea and bacon and porter, 

 all produced, and in the middle of the meal two 

 members of the R.I.C. arrived, very wet, to arrest 

 them. 



Defrauded of captives, they had tea. Dying 

 now of sleep in the hot room, remorseful hos- 

 pitality baulked it, for the hostess sent for the 

 village doctor, who arrived with a filthy pack of 

 cards, and played ' spoil five ' with them and the 

 poHce until midnight. Pennies smelhng of porter 

 massing in the pool ; until the doctor had won 

 ten shillings, and declared irately that someone 

 owed him three-halfpence more. 



At — well, never mind — it is a well-known 

 health resort — a lady who lives here, on a driving 

 tour years ago, arrived to stay the night, and 

 pulled up at Rafferty's Hotel, only that is not 

 quite the name. The place was very full, still, 

 the obHging proprietor said that one Mr. Dayley 

 from Dubhn had left that very afternoon and his 

 room was vacant — still he looked dubious. 



" Was it a good room ? " 



" It was so . . . but- " 



" Big ? " 



" Oh, big entirely, but " 



They went up ; they sniffed and asked questions. 

 " Well, it was this way : Mr. Dayley from 



