and Cathbarr and the remaining eight axmen in the van. Brian did
not spare either man or horse that day, for there was little food left
them; when midnight came they had slipped past Galway and were ready to
ride south, though they all went to rest supperless.

With the morning Brian found that two of the men had slipped off and
were busy plundering a hill-farm a mile away, where an old woman lived
alone. He promptly had them brought before him, and bade them take up
their weapons.

"I am no executioner," he said as he bared his huge sword. "I am a
teacher of lessons, and my lessons must be learned."

When they rode away from that place, leaving the two men buried under
cairns, Brian was well assured that there would be no more ravaging by
his men, though they died of hunger.

However, it proved that there was no great chance of this, for Brian
drove such a storm past Slieve Aughty as had not been heard of in
generations. Of all that chanced in those seven days ere he set his face
to the north again, not much has survived, for there were greater storms
to come afterward, and more talked-of fighting. But certain things were
done which had a sequel.

By the fifth day Brian had swept past Gort toward Lough Graney, and
turned west by Crusheen, which he passed through with a hundred horsemen
at his heels. Two days before he had struck upon fifty Ulstermen who
were working north from Munster, and what were left of them after the
meeting took service with him. From them he learned that O'Neill was
dying or dead, and that the Royalists and Confederacy men were paralyzed
through the south.

They had left Crusheen ten miles behind them on the fifth day, when
Cathbarr laid his hand on Brian's knee and pointed to the left, where a
hill rose against the sky.

"Look there, _boucal_--when the birds fly from the _ceanabhan_, seek for
snakes!"

Brian drew rein. Gazing at the long slopes of moor-grass that rose
across the hill, he saw a sudden flight of blackbirds from over the
crest; they flew toward him, then swerved swiftly and darted to the
right. Brian called up two of his men who knew the country, and asked
them what lay over the hill.

"The Ennis road to Mal Bay," they replied, and he sent them ahead to
scout.

Before he reached the hill-crest they were back with word that an
"army" was on the road, and Brian pushed forward with Cathbarr to see
for himself. Slipping from their horses, they gained the hilltop and
loo