hardly say that he was a good deal disconcerted
at the cool manner in which the other expressed his readiness to do so.

"Well, Mr. Burke," he proceeded, when they had reached the stable,
"there she is. Pray what do you think of her?"

The old man looked at her from various points, passed his hand down
her limbs, clapped her on the back, felt her in different places, then
looked at her again. "She's a beauty," said he, "a born beauty like
Billy Neelin's foal; what's this you say you paid for her?"

"Thirty-five pounds."

"Tare-an-ounty, Hycy, she's dog chape--thirty-five!--why she's value for
double the sum."

"Nearly," replied Hycy, quite elevated and; getting into good humor; "is
she not really now, father, a precious bit of flesh?"

"Ah! you may swear that, Hycy; I tell you you won't act the honest man,
if you don't give him fifteen or twenty pounds over an' above what you
paid him. Tom Burton I see's too simple for you. Go and do what I bid
you; don't defraud the poor man; you have got a treasure, I tell you--a
beauty bright--an extraordinary baste--a wonderful animal--oh, dear me!
what a great purchase! Good-bye, Hycy. Bless my sowl! what a judge of
horseflesh you are!"

Having uttered these words in a tone of grave and caustic irony, he left
his worthy son in a state of chagrin almost bordering on resentment, at
the strong contempt for Crazy-Jane, implied by the excessive eulogium
he had passed upon her. This feeling, however, was on reflection
considerably checked by his satisfaction on finding that the matter was
taken by his father so coolly. He had calculated on receiving a very
stormy lecture from him the moment he should become aware of his having
the animal in his possession; and he now felt rather relieved that
he should have escaped so easily. Be this as it may, Hycy was now in
excellent spirits. Not only had Crazy Jane been secured, but there were
strong symptoms of his being in cash. In a few days after the incident
of the stable, he contrived to see Philip Hogan, with whom he appointed
a final meeting in Cavanagh's kiln on the night of the Kemp; at which
meeting, Teddy Phats and the other two Hogans were also to be present,
in order to determine upon the steps which he ultimately proposed to
take, with a view to work out his purposes, whatever those purposes may
have been.

CHAPTER VII.--The Spinster's Kemp.

A kemp, or camp, is a contest of industrial skill, or a competition
for pri