in Smellpriest;
but, Protestant as I am, I tell you to your face that if I could give
shelter to a poor persecuted priest, and save him from the clutches
of such men as you and Sir Robert Whitecraft, I would do it. In the
meantime, there is neither priest nor friar under this roof; you can
come in and search in the house, if you wish."

"Why, gog's 'ouns, father," exclaimed one of the men, "how does it come
that we find you here?"

"Very simply, John," replied his father--for such he was--"I took this
cottage, and the bit of land that goes with it, from honest Andy Morrow,
and we are not many hours in it. The house was empty for the last six
months, so that I say again, whoever sent Captain Smellpriest here sent
him upon a fool's errand--upon a wild-goose chase."

The gallant captain started upon hearing these latter words.

"What does he say," he asked--"a wild-goose chase! Right--right,"
he added, in a soliloquy; "Strong is at the bottom of it, the black
scoundrel! but still, let us search the house; the old fellow admits
that he would shelter a priest. Search the house I say.

'There was an old prophecy found in a bog,
Lillibullero, bullen ala, &c., &c.'"

The house was accordingly searched, but it is unnecessary to add that
neither priest nor friar was found under the roof, nor any nook or
corner in which either one or the other could have been concealed.

The party, who then directed their steps homewards, were proceeding
across the fields to the mountain road which ran close by, and parallel
with the stripe, when they perceived at once that Smellpriest was in a
rage, by the fact of his singing "Lillibullero;" for, whenever either
his rage or loyalty happened to run high, he uniformly made a point to
indulge himself in singing that celebrated ballad.

"By jabers," said one of them to his companions, "there will be a battle
royal between the captain and Mr. Strong if he finds the parson at home
before him."

"If there won't be a fight with the parson, there will with the wife,"
replied the other. "Hang the same parson," he added; "many a dreary
chase he has sent us upon, with nothing but the fatigue of a dark and
slavish journey for our pains. With what bitterness he's giving us
'Lillibullero,' and he scarcely able to sit on his horse! I think I'll
advance, and ride beside him, otherwise, he may get an ugly tumble on
this hard road."

He accordingly did so, observing, as he got near him, "I hav