dawn; but on his way he woke up Mr. Justice's clerk,
and communicated his suspicions to him; and Mr. Clerk consulted with the
village baker, who was always up early; and the clerk, the baker, the
butcher with his cleaver, and two gentlemen who were going to work, all
adjourned to the inn.

Accordingly, when Ensign Macshane was in a truckle-bed, plunged in that
deep slumber which only innocence and drunkenness enjoy in this world,
and charming the ears of morn by the regular and melodious music of
his nose, a vile plot was laid against him; and when about seven of the
clock he woke, he found, on sitting up in his bed, three gentlemen on
each side of it, armed, and looking ominous. One held a constable's
staff, and albeit unprovided with a warrant, would take upon himself the
responsibility of seizing Mr. Macshane and of carrying him before his
worship at the hall.

"Taranouns, man!" said the Ensign, springing up in bed, and abruptly
breaking off a loud sonorous yawn, with which he had opened the business
of the day, "you won't deteen a gentleman who's on life and death? I
give ye my word, an affair of honour."

"How came you by that there horse?" said the baker.

"How came you by these here fifteen guineas?" said the landlord, in
whose hands, by some process, five of the gold pieces had disappeared.

"What is this here idolatrous string of beads?" said the clerk.

Mr. Macshane, the fact is, was a Catholic, but did not care to own it:
for in those days his religion was not popular.

"Baids? Holy Mother of saints! give me back them baids," said Mr.
Macshane, clasping his hands. "They were blest, I tell you, by his
holiness the po--psha! I mane they belong to a darling little daughter
I had that's in heaven now: and as for the money and the horse, I should
like to know how a gentleman is to travel in this counthry without
them."

"Why, you see, he may travel in the country to GIT 'em," here shrewdly
remarked the constable; "and it's our belief that neither horse nor
money is honestly come by. If his worship is satisfied, why so, in
course, shall we be; but there is highwaymen abroad, look you; and, to
our notion, you have very much the cut of one."

Further remonstrances or threats on the part of Mr. Macshane were
useless. Although he vowed that he was first cousin to the Duke of
Leinster, an officer in Her Majesty's service, and the dearest friend
Lord Marlborough had, his impudent captors would not believe a wo