to keep himself night and day. Hycy did not enter his establishment, but
after having called him once or twice to no purpose--for such was the
din of the school that his voice could not penetrate it--he at length
knocked against the half open door, which caused him to be both seen
and heard more distinctly. On seeing him, the school-master got to his
limbs, and was about to address him, when Hycy said--

"Finigan, I wish to speak a few words to you."

"O'Finigan, sir--O'Finigan, Mr. Burke. It is enough, sir, to be deprived
of our hereditary territories, without being clipped of our names; they
should lave us those at all events unmutilated. O'Finigan, therefore,
Mr. Burke, whenever you address me, if you plaise."

"Well, Mr. O'Finigan," continued Hycy, "if not inconvenient, I should
wish to speak a few words with you."

"No inconvenience in the world, Mr. Burke; I am always disposed to
oblige my friends whenever I can do so wid propriety. My advice, sir,
my friendship, and my purse, are always at their service. My advice to
guide them--my friendship to sustain--and my purse--hem!--ha, ha, ha--I
think. I may clap a payriod or full stop there," he added, laughing,
"inasmuch as the last approaches very near to what philosophers term a
vacuum or nonentity. Gintlemen," he proceeded, addressing the scholars,
"I am going over to Lanty Hanratty's for a while to enjoy a social cup
wid Mr. Burke here, and as that fact will cause the existence of a short
interegnum, I now publicly appoint Gusty Carney as my _locum tenens_
until I resume the reins of government on my return. Gusty, put the
names of all offenders down on a slate, and when I return 'condign'
is the word; an' see, Gusty--mairk me well--no bribery--no bread
nor buttons, nor any other materials of corruption from the
culprits--otherwise you shall become their substitute in the
castigation, and I shall teach you to look one way and feel another, my
worthy con-disciple."

"Now, Finigan--I beg your pardon--O'Finigan," said Hycy, when they were
seated in the little back tap-room of the public-house with refreshments
before them, "I think I have reason to be seriously displeased with
you."

"Displeased with me!" exclaimed his companion; "and may I take the
liberty to interrogate wherefore, Mr. Hycy?"

"You misrepresented me to Bryan M'Mahon," said Hycy.

"Upon what grounds and authority do you spake, sir?" asked Finigan,
whose dignity was beginning to take offence