Father," said I.

"What is that?"

"There is no companionship on it; and, to say truth, I have too much of
the Irishman in me to leave good company for the pleasure of travelling
all alone."

"Methinks you have very little of the Irishman about you, in another
respect," said he, with a sneer of no doubtful meaning.

"How so?" said I, eagerly.

"In volunteering your society when it is not sought for, young
gentleman," said he, with a look of steadfast effrontery,--"at least,
I can say, such were not the habits of the land as I remember it some
forty years ago."

"Ah, holy Father, it has grown out of many a barbarous custom since your
time: the people have given up drinking and faction-fighting, and you
may travel fifty miles a day for a week together and never meet with a
friar."

"Peace be with you!" said he, waving his hand, but with a gesture it was
easy to see boded more passion than patience.

I hesitated for a second what to do; and at last, feeling that another
word might perhaps endanger the victory I had won, I dashed spurs into
the mare's flanks, and, with the shout the ostler had recommended,
rushed her at the stream. Over she went, "like a bird," lighting on the
opposite bank with her hind-legs "well up," and the next moment plunged
into the forest.

Scarcely, however, had I proceeded fifty paces than I drew up. The dense
wood effectually shut out the river from my view, and even masked the
sounds of the rushing water. A suspicion dwelt on my mind that the Friar
was _not_ going back, and that he had merely concerted this plan with
the Mexican the easier to disembarrass himself of my company. The
seeming pertinacity of _his_ purpose suggested an equal obstinacy of
resistance on _my_ part. Some will doubtless say that it argued very
little pride and a very weak self-esteem in Con Cregan to continue to
impose his society where it had been so peremptorily declined; and
so had it been, doubtless, had the scene been a great city ruled and
regulated by its thousand-and-one conventionalities. But the prairies
are separated by something longer than mere miles from the land of
kid-gloves and visiting tickets. Ceremonial in such latitudes would be
as unsuitable as a court suit.

Besides, I argued thus: "A very underdone slice of tough venison, with
a draught of spring water, constitute in these regions a very appetizing
meal; and, for the same reason, a very morose friar and a still sulkier
servant may be