to my beast.

And the soldiers, when they saw me acquainted with so reverend a
gentleman, took for granted I was on a harmless errand, and went further
on to inquire for the miscreant they were in search of.

The fellow of the yard where I fed my horse laughed as he watched me
mount up on to my turnips.

"Faith, them's the boys to smell a rat. It's guns they're looking for;
as if they'd travel by daylight on the highroad."

"I'm told a great many arms are being smuggled into the country," said
the clergyman.

"To be sure," replied the man; "but if they get this length it's by the
hill-roads and after dark. Why, I'll go bail they would have looked for
guns under this gossoon's turnips if your reverence hadn't known him."

It seemed to me time to drive on, and with a salute to his reverence I
touched up my horse smartly, and left these two to finish their talk
without me.

By this time it was nearly dark, so that I had less trouble from
passers-by. My beast, despite her meal, showed no signs of haste, and I
was forced to lie patiently on the top of my load, waiting her pleasure
to land me in Derry.

The clock was tolling ten as I came on to the Ship Quay, and tired
enough I was with my long day's drive. Yet I was a little proud to have
come to my journey's end safely, albeit that story I had told about
Fahan stuck in my conscience.

I had been once before with my father to Joe Callan's, who kept a store
of all sorts of goods, and was one of the best-known farmers' tradesmen
in the city. It was some time before I could arouse him and bring him
down to let me in. And while I waited, rousing the echoes, I was very
nearly being wrecked in port, for a watchman came up and demanded what I
wanted disturbing the peace of the city at that hour.

When I explained that I had brought Mr Callan a load of turnips, he
wanted to know where they came from, and why they should arrive so late.

"The roads were bad between this and Fahan," said I.

To my alarm he took up a turnip in his hand and put it to his nose.

"I'm thinking Joe Callan's no judge of a turnip," said he, "if this is
what suits him. Maybe that's why you're so anxious to get them in after
dark. He'll not wake out of his sleep for the like of these, so you may
just shoot them in a heap at his door, and they'll be safe enough till
the morning."

My jaw dropped when he proposed this and made ready to lend me a hand.

"Begging your honour's pardon," s