by, though no one stopped me. Now and then a ruffian voice, a wild
shriek, or a child's cry, came from the narrow windows looking into the
court. I walked on as fast as I could venture to move, till I found the
narrow archway which Barney had described, and emerged into a lane,
which, however, was not much broader than the court. Here the sounds of
wrangling voices, and shouts, and the drunkards' wild songs, broke the
stillness of night. A few men rolled by, who had come out of Mother
McCleary's whisky-shop, or other similar establishments; but I carefully
kept out of their way till I arrived at the "Fox and Goose," where I
expected to find Nettleship. It hadn't occurred to me, however, that I
might have been followed, and our plan for trapping the seamen
discovered. I at once entered, and found my messmate with his men ready
to set out.

"You've been longer than I expected, Paddy; but I hope it's all right,"
he said.

"If we are quick about it, I expect we shall catch a good number," I
answered. "Where is Mr Saunders? We shall require a strong party to
overpower the fellows, especially as there are some desperate ruffians
among them;" and I told him how I had discovered the outlaw, Dan Hoolan.

"Mr Saunders is waiting just outside, round the corner," he said.
"I'll go out and tell him that you have come back, and meanwhile you
remain here."

In a short time Nettleship returned.

"You are to accompany Mr Saunders," he said, "and lead his party round
to the court, while I and my men take charge of Mother McCleary, so that
no one may escape on this side."

Mr Saunders welcomed me in a good-natured voice.

"You have done well thus far, my lad. I've no doubt that we shall trap
some of them," he said, when I had given a description of the place and
the characters it contained. "I have got hold of a man who knows the
town, and will lead us round by a different way to the court to that by
which you escaped, while Nettleship goes directly up the lane," he
added. "Come along!"

We set out at a rapid rate; the men being charged to make as little
noise with their feet as possible. We must have gone a considerable way
round, for it seemed a long while before we reached the archway, which I
at once recognised. The lieutenant led, with a pistol in one hand and
his hanger in the other, knowing that he was likely to be treated with
scant ceremony should he encounter any of the residents of that
neighbourhood.