g
on the counter in his shirt-sleeves having a deep goster with Alderman
Cowley."

"Why didn't you remind him?" said Mr. O'Connor.

"Well, I couldn't go over while he was talking to Alderman Cowley. I
just waited till I caught his eye, and said: 'About that little matter I
was speaking to you about....' 'That'll be all right, Mr. H.,' he said.
Yerra, sure the little hop-o'-my-thumb has forgotten all about it."

"There's some deal on in that quarter," said Mr. O'Connor thoughtfully.
"I saw the three of them hard at it yesterday at Suffolk Street corner."

"I think I know the little game they're at," said Mr. Henchy. "You must
owe the City Fathers money nowadays if you want to be made Lord Mayor.
Then they'll make you Lord Mayor. By God! I'm thinking seriously of
becoming a City Father myself. What do you think? Would I do for the
job?"

Mr. O'Connor laughed.

"So far as owing money goes...."

"Driving out of the Mansion House," said Mr. Henchy, "in all my vermin,
with Jack here standing up behind me in a powdered wig--eh?"

"And make me your private secretary, John."

"Yes. And I'll make Father Keon my private chaplain. We'll have a family
party."

"Faith, Mr. Henchy," said the old man, "you'd keep up better style than
some of them. I was talking one day to old Keegan, the porter. 'And
how do you like your new master, Pat?' says I to him. 'You haven't much
entertaining now,' says I. 'Entertaining!' says he. 'He'd live on the
smell of an oil-rag.' And do you know what he told me? Now, I declare to
God I didn't believe him."

"What?" said Mr. Henchy and Mr. O'Connor.

"He told me: 'What do you think of a Lord Mayor of Dublin sending out
for a pound of chops for his dinner? How's that for high living?' says
he. 'Wisha! wisha,' says I. 'A pound of chops,' says he, 'coming into
the Mansion House.' 'Wisha!' says I, 'what kind of people is going at
all now?"

At this point there was a knock at the door, and a boy put in his head.

"What is it?" said the old man.

"From the Black Eagle," said the boy, walking in sideways and depositing
a basket on the floor with a noise of shaken bottles.

The old man helped the boy to transfer the bottles from the basket to
the table and counted the full tally. After the transfer the boy put his
basket on his arm and asked:

"Any bottles?"

"What bottles?" said the old man.

"Won't you let us drink them first?" said Mr. Henchy.

"I was told to ask for the bottles."