of wine afterwards; but you preferred your own dirty
calling, and so take the consequences."

'While he was speaking a great cheer was heard, and all the
country-people came galloping into the yard with their turf cars.

'"Be alive now, my boys!" cried Bob. "How many cars have you?"

'"Seventy, sir, here; but there is more coming."

'"That'll do," said he; "so now set to work and carry away all the oats
and the wheat, the hay, barley, and potatoes. Let some of you take the
calves and the pigs, and drive the bullocks over the mountain to Mr.
Bodkin's. Don't leave a turkey behind you, boys, and make haste; for
these gentlemen have so many engagements I can scarcely prevail on them
to pass more than a day or two amongst us."

'Bob pointed as he spoke to the four figures that stood trembling at the
hayloft door. A loud cheer, and a roar of laughter to the full as loud,
answered his speech; and at the same moment to it they went, loading
their cars with the harvest or the live-stock as fast as they could.
To be sure, such a scene was never witnessed--the sheep bleating, pigs
grunting, fowls cackling, men and women all running here and there
laughing like mad, and Nick Basset himself swearing like a trooper the
whole time that he'd have them all hanged at the next assizes. Would
you believe, the harvest it took nearly three weeks to bring home was
carried away that night and scattered all over the country at different
farms, where it never could be traced; all the cattle too were taken
away, and before sunrise there wasn't as much as a sheep or a lamb left
to bleat on the lawn.

'The next day Bob set out on a visit to a friend at some distance,
leaving directions with his people to liberate the gentlemen in the
hayloft in the course of the afternoon. The story made a great noise in
the country; but before people were tired laughing at it an action was
entered against Bob for false imprisonment, and heavy damages awarded
against him. So that you may see there was a kind of poetic justice in
the manner of his capture, for after all it was only trick for trick.'

The worthy priest now paused to mix another tumbler, which, when he had
stirred and tasted and stirred again, he pushed gently before him on the
table, and seemed lost in reverie.

'Yes,' said he half aloud, 'it is a droll country we live in; and
there's not one of us doesn't waste more ingenuity and display more
cunning in getting rid of his fortune than the cl