thinkin' till the
roots of me hair was twisted, tryin' to find was they anny explanation
of him, and him stumblin' along in the dark and askin' me quistions,
happy and continted.

"Whin we come to the bottom I says 'whoa' to him, till I could see
they was no wan hangin' round, and thin we wint down where I'd left me
boat. Divil the lie I'm tellin' ye, some wan had took it!

"'Is it gone?' says he.

"'Mother of hiven, is it _here_?' says I, irritated at the empty head
of him.

"'No,' says he.

"'Thin where is it?' I says.

"'Gone,' says he.

"'Right,' says I, 'and ye guessed it without puttin' yoursilf greatly
about. It shows what thinkin' would do for ye if ye was to try it.'

"'What are we goin' to do now?' says he, bleatin' sorrowful like a
sheep.

"'Look here, sor,' I says, drawin' with me finger in the sand, the
moon havin' come up so we could see a bit; 'here is wan side of the
river, and we're on it,' I says, 'and here is the other side, and we
ain't, but we wish we was. What's the answer, and how manny sides is
they to the river? Come along with me and figure it out to yoursilf,'
I says. 'I'm goin' to see is they a chanct to steal somewan ilse's
boat,' I says, pullin' him after me by the suspinders.

"But sure, wan half thim jersey omadhawns must spind all their time
arrangin' to keep the other half from stealin' boats off thim, for
what boats they was was chained up with enough iron to sink thim, and
me with only me knife for the patent locks. Kidnappin' is easy whin ye
have a place to kidnap thim to, but they ain't no money in settin'
down with a man annywheres ye find him and tellin' him ye've got his
tab and will his frinds give ye all their money.

"'Let's climb up the Palisades ag'in and take the trolley to the
ferry,' says he.

"'The saints in glory be among us! Is it a lunytic ye think I am to
take ye where ye can git help and have me arrested by openin' your
mouth but wanct?'

"'Well,' says he, excusin' himsilf, 'thin what?'

"'Twinty years,' says I, 'and lucky at that.'

"'I mean,' says he, 'what are we goin' to do, thin?'

"'"We"?' says I, fair losin' me timper, '"we"? Arrah, and whose doin'
this kidnappin', annyways? Ye'll be collectin' money off me next for
takin' me home! Ain't ye niver been kidnapped afore?'

"'No,' says he, 'this is the first time.'

"'Yis,' I says, 'and it was gittin' dark whin I took ye.'

"'Well,' says he, peaceable and irritatin', 'what are we goin' t