glecting your orders, which
were to follow close at our heels," observed the major.

"Thank yer honour; but you'll be after remembering that I didn't suppose
that Dan Hoolan was really going to hang yer honour, or I'd have been in
a much more mighty fright at hearing that he was going to have a hand in
the matter."

This little incident will afford some idea of the state of my native
country at the time of which I write.

After Larry had given this explanation for his non-appearance, he
dropped behind, and my uncle and I rode on side by side, talking of
various matters, and whenever the road would permit, putting our horses
into a trot or a canter to make up for lost time. Darkness overtook us
before we reached the town at which my uncle proposed to stop for the
night. I confess that I kept a look-out now on one side, now on the
other, lest any more of Dan Hoolan's gang might be abroad, and have a
fancy to examine our valises and pockets. We rode on for nearly three
hours in the dark, without meeting, however, with any further adventure.
We reached Timahoe, where there being no event of importance taking
place, we found sufficient accommodation and food both for man and
beast, which was promised on the sign outside, though, to be sure, it
could not be seen in the dark, but I observed it the next morning as we
rode away.

I must pass over the remainder of the journey till we had got over the
greater part of our journey to the fair city of Cork. We had been
riding on like peaceable travellers, as we were, when we reached a
village, through the centre of which, having nothing to detain us there,
we passed on at our usual pace. It appeared quiet enough. The children
were tumbling about with the pigs in the mud, and the women peered out
of the half-open doors, but seeing who we were, drew in their heads
again without addressing us, or replying to any of Larry's most
insinuating greetings.

"There's something going on, though what it may be is more than I can
tell," remarked my uncle.

Just as we got outside the village, though not a sound reached our ears,
we caught sight, coming round a corner on the right, of a party of men,
each armed with a shillelah, which he grasped tightly in his right hand,
while he looked keenly ahead, as if expecting some one to appear. They
had started forward apparently at the sound of our horses' feet, and
stopped on seeing who we were.

"Good evening, boys," said my uncle, as we