'What! is that you, Pat?' exclaimed Al, lowering the weapon.

"'Sorra the day for me an' it wur,' said the Irishman, as he carefully
deposited on the floor the pistol Fred had seen him draw, which was
simply a small, flat bottle. He then leisurely lifted his other
ponderous foot over the window-sill, shook himself, as if to ascertain
whether he had a whole skin, and shut the window. Then he picked up
the bottle, and carefully replaced it in his coat pocket.

"Meanwhile, Al had been quietly laughing, and I was still on the floor
laughing and rubbing the bruises on my legs, which had been caused by
Fred's collision.

"'What's the meaning of this?' whispered Al. 'How is it, Pat, that you
come into the house in this way instead of by the door?"

"'Well, you see,' said Pat, 'I just wint the night to say me cousin,
who is a-workin' at the Smit's, an' not moindin' to disturb the docther
an' his wife, sure didn't I put the long laddher forninst the windew,
intindin' to tak out that new pane of glass that was raycintly tacked
in, an' inter in as nate an' quiet as ye plaze: but the lad was scared
a bit. Where is he?'

"'Who? Fred?' asked Al.

"'Ay, it's Fred I mane,' said Pat.

"Having by this time rubbed my bruises sufficiently and picked myself
up, I led them to Fred's place of concealment. His feet and legs were
in plain sight, for, ostrich-like, he seemed to have imagined that if
his head alone were covered, he was perfectly safe. Pat grasped him by
the ankle, and despite of his kicking hauled him out.

"'Oh,' cried Fred, in abject terror, supposing it was the burglar who
had caught him, 'don't kill me! don't kill me! My money is all in the
trunk in the opposite room!'

"'Do keep still, and don't make such a fool of yourself! It's only
Pat,' said Al, with suppressed laughter, while Pat and I indulged in
laughter that was far from suppressed.

"In the midst of this racket we heard a door open below, and the
doctor's voice called,--

"'What is the matter up there?'

"'Nothin', sur,' replied Pat, with Irish readiness, 'only the lads got
freighted as I was comin' to bed.'

"'Tell them to be quiet, or I shall come up,' said doctor.

"'D'ye hear that, b'ys?' said Pat. 'Get to bed now; ye'll tak' your
death runnin' round in the cowld widout your clothes on.'

"In our excitement we had forgotten that the mercury outside was nearly
down to zero, and had not noticed the cold; but Pat's words quickened
our