elf," one readily exclaimed, and another chimed in, "If he doesn't,
be jabers! we'll mak' him." I fully ingratiated myself into their good
graces for the night by "standing a gallon round." I took part in the
general amusement, and sang for them the song, "Shan Van Vocht," in Irish
Gaelic, until they all swore I was a countryman of theirs. The night wore
on with song and clatter, And ah! the ale was growing better.

THE BARN DORMITORY--THE FIRE

Sometime late at night we retired to rest--or to try to rest. The
prospective scene of our slumbers was a barn at the back of the tavern.
By the light of a candle we had with us, I saw there was a depth of
almost twelve inches of straw on the floor of the barn. One of our lot
fixed the candle on a projecting stone in the wall, and I guess it was
not long before we were all asleep. I could not have been asleep long,
however, when I was awakened by great noise and unbearable heat. On
"turning over," I heard groans and shouts, and, by Jove! saw that the
barn was on fire! I was dumbfounded for the instant, and scarce knew how
to act. Being greatly fatigued by my previous day's journey, I was not
over wideawake; I was by no means the first to awake; in fact I believe I
was the last. I had taken my coat and boot and slipper off, but there was
no time to look for any of my apparel, and when I recovered my senses, I
beat a hasty retreat.

MY ESCAPE FROM THE FIRE

It's always a safe plan to look before you leap. I didn't look before I
leaped, with the result that jumping through a loophole in the wall at
the rear of the barn, I found myself on alighting outside with the
star-bespangled firmament above me, and--what do you think under me--I
hardly like to say, but nevertheless it was _a manure heap_! I was booked
to remain in this--perhaps more healthy than agreeable--predicament for
some time; for, despite my struggles to regain liberty of thought and
action, I could not extricate myself.

HOW THE PEOPLE RECEIVED ME

Meanwhile, the alarm of fire had been given, and a number of people from
the neighbourhood appeared, in response, on the scene. I could not see
them, being at the rear of the building, but could hear their shouts. The
half-dozen Irishmen, I afterwards learned, all answered the roll-call,
but I was missing. On this occasion, if it had never occurred before or
since, my absence caused indescribable consternation. Many thought I had
been burned to death