wants to know if I'd buy a keg of Poteen which, it seems, he
has to sell. I declined because I have a sufficiently ample stock of it
on hands."

"My uncle," said Clinton, prefers it to any other spirits; indeed, at
home he never drinks any other, and whenever he dines, thanks those who
give it the preference."

"Come in, and let us have a glass of poteen grog, in the mean time,"
said Hycy, "for it's better still in grog than in punch. It's a famous
relish for a slice of ham; but, as the Scotch say, baith's best."

Having discussed the grog and ham, the conversation went on.

"Hycy," proceeded his companion, "with respect to that foolish
arrangement or bargain we made the other night, I won't have anything
to say or do in it. You shall impoverish or ruin no honest man on my
account. I was half drunk or whole drunk, otherwise I wouldn't have
listened to such a proposal."

"What do you mean?" said Hycy, with a look of very natural surprise, and
a pause of some time, "I don't understand you."

"Don't you remember the foolish kind of stipulation we entered into with
reference to M'Mahon's farm, of Ahadarra, on the one hand, and my most
amiable (d--n me but I ought to be horsewhipped for it) sister on the
other?"

"No," replied Hycy, "devil a syllable. My word and honor, Harry."

"Well, if you don't, then, it's all right. You didn't appear to be
tipsy, though."

"I never do, Harry. In that respect I'm the d--dest, hypocritical rascal
in Europe. I'm a perfect phenomenon; for, in proportion as I get drunk
in intellect, I get sober both in my carriage and appearance. However,
in Heaven's name let me know the bargain if there was one?"

"No, no," replied his friend, "it was a disgraceful affair on both
sides, and the less that's said of it the better."

By some good deal of persuasion, however, and an additional glass
of grog, he prevailed on Clinton to repeat the substance of the
stipulation; on hearing which, as if for the first time, he laughed very
heartily.

"This liquor," he proceeded, "is a strange compound, and puts queer
notions into our head. Why if there's an honest decent fellow in Europe,
whom I would feel anxious to serve beyond another, next to yourself,
Harry, it is Bryan M'Mahon. But why I should have spoken so, I can't
understand at all. In the first place, what means have of injuring
the man? And what is stronger still, what inclination have I, or could
have--and what is still better--should hav