meal once a month. Their cattle were killed and their ricks set on
fire; and so in a short time he had the whole neighborhood under his
thumb. Whenever a party went in pursuit of him he was sure to obtain
early information. Not from love, but from fear; for it was a well
understood thing that any one seeing a body of police and failing to
send instant word would suffer for it.

"Just as we left I heard that a company of foot and a troop of cavalry
were to be sent from Galway to search every hut and hiding-place in
the district, and I suppose that it was this that drove him down here.
He has red hair and beard; and it is this partly, and partly no doubt
the fellow's murderous character, that has gained him the name of the
Red Captain. He is a prize worth taking, and if we can lay hands on
him and his band together we shall have done better work than if we
had unearthed a hundred illicit stills. At any rate we will lose no
time. I will write a letter at once to the revenue officer at the
coast-guard station. I shall mention no names, but say that we hope to
make an important capture to-morrow morning on the cliffs here, and
asking him to send a well-armed boat at daylight, with instructions to
stop and arrest any boat that may put out from the shore. If the
revenue cutter happens to be lying off his station, or within reach of
a messenger, I will tell him to have her off the shore if possible."

Captain O'Connor at once wrote the letter. "Sergeant Morris," he said,
when the non-commissioned officer came in, "I want you to take this
letter yourself to Lieutenant Adcock at the coast-guard station in the
cove three miles along to the east. It is of the highest importance. I
want you to see the officer yourself and obtain an answer from him.
Take a man with you, and carry your side-arms. Don't go along the
cliff, but keep to the road till you come to the lane that leads
direct to the village in the cove. Just tell the landlord to come
here, will you?"

"Landlord," he said, when the host appeared, "I want you to lend a
couple of long greatcoats and two hats or caps of any kind. I am
sending two of my men off on a mission, and I don't want them to be
noticed. It does not matter how old the coats are so that they are
long."

"I will get them your honor. I have one that will do, and will borrow
the other for you in no time."

"You see, sergeant, I don't want your presence in the village to be
noticed. You know how these fel