138 LADIES ON HOESEBACK. 



the point wliicli I was desirons of reaching. 

 The creature hitched his shoulders, scratched 

 his collarless neck, pushed the hat from his 

 sunburnt forehead, and, finally, looking down 

 and rubbing the fore-finger of his right hand 

 upon the palm of his left, thus delivered him- 

 self: 



** I axed him for a ha'penny, and he wouldn't 

 give it to me ; but he put his hand into his 

 pocket and pulled out a pinny, and gave it to 

 me, and I took it in — ho, ho ! and he gave me 

 a letter to take up to Mrs. Johnston, and when 

 I took it to her, she opened it and read it. 

 Now, didn't I give her the letter ? '\ 



" Keally," said I, ^* I know nothing about 

 Mrs. Johnston nor her letter. I want to know 

 the nearest way to Dunboyne station." 



"I axed him for a ha'penny," began the 

 man again. And then I had the whole story 

 of the *' pinny" and "Mrs. Johnston " repeated 

 for me over and over, without a smile or any 

 variation, until my vexation vanished, and I 

 fairly roared with laughter. Guessing at once 

 how the land lay, I produced a little coin 

 with which I presented him, and which he 



