d over to Letterkenny, and they're away
already to watch the fun. Begging your pardon, captain, you must take
your dinner in the saddle this day."

The captain took this news, especially the end of it, bravely, and
tossed me down a shilling.

"Good-bye, my lad; and carry my respects to your young mistress."

And he strode away to the inn where the horses waited, and in a few
minutes was clattering at full speed down the road that leads to
Letterkenny.

Now, thought I, was my chance, with a favouring breeze, to slip down the
lough and carry out my purpose of speaking the _Cigale_.

I would spend my shilling, or part of it, in drinking his Majesty's
health, by which time it would be dusk enough to enable me to pass
Knockowen unobserved.

In the inn, however, I found a great disturbance going on; so much so
that I was crowded behind the door, and forced to stay there, first
because I must, and presently because I would. What the trouble was I
could not at first ascertain; but it soon came out that at Sheep Haven a
gang of smugglers had been trapped, and their skipper swung at his own
yard-arm. That was bad enough; but what was worse, he was a Rathmullan
man, and the warrant for his capture had been given a week ago by a
magistrate across the lough.

"I'll warrant you that was Maurice Gorman did it," said some one.

At the name I crept further back behind the door, and stood like a
mouse.

"The very man," said another. "He's a dirty thraitor. He can let the
boys well enough alone when he loikes."

"Whisht!" said another; "he's away at Malin this very week after more,
and his men with him. I tell you what I'm thinking, Larry," continued
the speaker, who had drunk somewhat, "this--"

"Howld yer tongue," said the first speaker in a whisper. "Do you know
no better than blather at the top of your voice like that?"

"I'm thinking," continued the other, retreating towards the door, and
beckoning the others around him, "that it'd do Maurice a world of good
to have his winders broken."

"Ay, and not by pebbles. There's lead enough to spare in the country,
praise God."

"And fire enough to warm his bones if he should be feeling cold," said
another.

"He's to be back to-morrow. I heard that from Martin, who's been left
to take care of the place."

"Sure, Martin's a right boy for us. He'd never spoil sport for the
likes of Gorman."

"Not he. I warrant you Martin will be waiting on us, for I'll step
ac