r. Billing's cheque," said Doyle.

"I haven't got Mr. Billing's cheque," said Dr. O'Grady.

"If you haven't," said Doyle, helplessly, "who has?"

"It's my belief," said Gallagher, in a tone of extreme satisfaction,
"that there's no cheque in it."

"Do you mean to say, Doyle," said Dr. O'Grady, "that you've been such a
besotted idiot as to let that American escape out of this without paying
over his subscription for the statue?"

"You'll never see him again," said Gallagher. "He's not the first man
that skipped the country after letting everybody in."

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said Father McCormack, "order, please, order."

"We'll have to drop the whole thing now," said the Major, "and I must
say I'm extremely glad."

"I'm no more an idiot than you are yourself, doctor," said Doyle, "and I
won't have language of the kind used to me. How was I to know he hadn't
given you the cheque?"

"You were the treasurer," said Dr. O'Grady. "What on earth is a
treasurer for if he doesn't get in the subscriptions?"

"That nephew of yours will have his statue on his hands a bit longer,"
said Gallagher.

He still spoke in a tone of satisfaction; but even as he contemplated
the extreme disappointment of Doyle's nephew it occurred to him that
there might be a difficulty about paying his own bill for L3. The same
thought struck Father McCormack.

"Gentlemen," he said, "there's been an unfortunate mistake, but it might
be worse."

"That American fellow has us robbed," said Gallagher.

"We'll prosecute him when we catch him," said Doyle.

"It might be worse," said Father McCormack. "We haven't spent very much
yet. The dresses for Mary Ellen can hardly have been put in hand yet, so
we won't have to pay for them."

"There's my bill," said Gallagher.

"So there's only Mr. Gallagher's little account," said Father McCormack.

"We'll have a house-to-house collection," said Doyle, "till we get the
money raised."

"Don't be a blithering idiot, Doyle," said Dr. O'Grady. "How can you go
round and ask people to subscribe to----"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said Father McCormack.

"We must fall back upon the subscription list that was published in
the Connacht Eagle," said the Major, "as well as I recollect we all
promised----"

"Nobody promised anything," said Doyle. "It was Dr. O'Grady that
promised for us and before I pay a penny for a man that owes me more
this minute than he can pay----"

"Oh, do shut up, Doyle," said Dr. O