est; all of which Barney detailed in a most
graphic manner, and to all of which their new friend listened with grave
attention and unbroken silence. When they had concluded he said,--"Very
good. You have seen much in very short time. Perhaps you shall see
more by-and-by. For the present you will go to rest, for you must be
fatigued. I will _think_ to-night,--to-morrow I will _speak_."

"An', if I may make so bould," said Barney, glancing with a somewhat
rueful expression round the hard earthen floor of the hut, "whereabouts
may I take the liberty o' sleepin'?"

The hermit replied by going to a corner, whence, from beneath a heap of
rubbish, he dragged two hammocks, curiously wrought in a sort of light
net-work. These he slung across the hut at one end, from wall to wall,
and, throwing a sheet or coverlet into each, he turned with a smile to
his visitors,--"Behold your beds! I wish you a very good sleep,--
adios!"

So saying, this strange individual sat down at the table, and was soon
as deeply engaged with his large book as if he had suffered no
interruption; while Martin and Barney, having gazed gravely and
abstractedly at him for five minutes, turned and smiled to each other,
jumped into their hammocks, and were soon buried in deep slumber.

CHAPTER TEN.

AN ENEMY IN THE NIGHT--THE VAMPIRE BAT--THE HERMIT DISCOURSES ON
STRANGE, AND CURIOUS, AND INTERESTING THINGS.

Next morning Martin Rattler awoke with a feeling of lightness in his
head, and a sensation of extreme weakness pervading his entire frame.
Turning his head round to the right he observed that a third hammock was
slung across the further end of the hut; which was, no doubt, that in
which the hermit had passed the night. But it was empty now. Martin
did not require to turn his head to the other side to see if Barney
O'Flannagan was there, for that worthy individual made his presence
known, for a distance of at least sixty yards all round the outside of
the hut, by means of his nose, which he was in the habit of using as a
trumpet when asleep. It was as well that Martin did not require to look
round; for he found, to his surprise, that he had scarcely strength to
do so. While he was wondering in a dreamy sort of manner what could be
the matter with him, the hermit entered the hut bearing a small deer
upon his shoulders. Resting his gun in a corner of the room, he
advanced to Martin's hammock.

"My boy," he exclaimed, in surprise, "what