'What did I tell you? That is
going to be my trade.'

'Then your end will be hanging at the bridge of Dublin,' said she. But
there was no sleep for her that night, for she lay in the dark thinking
about her son.

* * * * *

'If he is to be a thief at all, he had better be a good one. And who is
there that can teach him?' the mother asked herself. But an idea came to
her, and she arose early, before the sun was up, and set off for the
home of the Black Rogue, or Gallows Bird, who was such a wonderful thief
that, though all had been robbed by him, no one could catch him.

'Good-morning to you,' said the woman as she reached the place where the
Black Gallows Bird lived when he was not away on his business. 'My son
has a fancy to learn your trade. Will you be kind enough to teach him?'

'If he is clever, I don't mind trying,' answered the Black Gallows Bird;
'and, of course, if _any_ one can turn him into a first-rate thief, it
is I. But if he is stupid, it is no use at all; I can't bear stupid
people.'

'No, he isn't stupid,' said the woman with a sigh. 'So to-night, after
dark, I will send him to you.'

The Shifty Lad jumped for joy when his mother told him where she had
been.

'I will become the best thief in all Erin!' he cried, and paid no heed
when his mother shook her head and murmured something about 'the bridge
of Dublin.'

Every evening after dark the Shifty Lad went to the home of the Black
Gallows Bird, and many were the new tricks he learned. By and bye he was
allowed to go out with the Bird and watch him at work, and at last there
came a day when his master thought that he had grown clever enough to
help in a big robbery.

'There is a rich farmer up there on the hill, who has just sold all his
fat cattle for much money and has bought some lean ones which will cost
him little. Now it happens that, while he has received the money for the
fat cattle, he has not yet paid the price of the thin ones, which he has
in the cowhouse. To-morrow he will go to the market with the money in
his hand, so to-night we must get at the chest. When all is quiet we
will hide in the loft.'

There was no moon, and it was the night of Hallowe'en, and everyone was
burning nuts and catching apples in a tub of water with their hands
tied, and playing all sorts of other games, till the Shifty Lad grew
quite tired of waiting for them to get to bed. The Black Gallows Bird,
who was more accustom