WILD LIFE ON THE WING 
digging out this piece of level ground ? " said 
the latter. 
" No difficulty at all," replied the other, " the 
trees want cutting back to let in the light." 
" That shall be done/' said Mr. Geoghegan. 
"That beech is half rotten already." He 
turned and met the gaze of Andy Hogan. 
" Begob, sorr ! are ye goin' to cut down that 
tree ? " stuttered Andy. 
Cornelius had begun to find out that reforms 
must be wrought against the grain. 
" Certainly ! " he answered : " I have intended 
all along to enlarge this pond, and stock it 
with trout. That tree must come down to- 
morrow before the woodmen leave the place." 
Andy gazed at him speechless. " Shure ye'rc 
niver goin' to take down the tree wid the 
Corr iasc's nest in it ? Me grandfather, and 
Misther Thomas, planted that tree." 
" My good fellow," said Cornelius, in the tone 
in which he replied to importunate requests 
for alms, " kindly attend to your own affairs. 
When I wish to carry out improvements on 
my estate, I do not consult either birds or my 
pensioners. That tree comes down to-morrow." 
Six months at Ballongarry had not prepared 
its owner for the outburst which followed. 
Andy spoke for three minutes, and in that 
time he had said everything that there was to 
212 
