uld out-stay your time," said the elder Meehan,
relapsing into his determined hardihood of character; "we're ready,
hours agone. Dick Rice gave me two curlew an' two patrich calls to-day.
Now pass the glass among yez, while Denny brings the arms. I know
there's danger in this business, in regard of the Cassidys livin' so
near us. If I see anybody afut, I'll use the curlew call: an' if not,
I'll whistle twice on the patrich (* partridge) one, an' ye may come an.
The horse is worth eighty guineas, if he's worth a shillin'; an' we'll
make sixty off him ourselves."

For some time they chatted about the plan in contemplation, and drank
freely of the spirits, until at length the impatience of the elder
Meehan at the delay of his brother became ungovernable. His voice
deepened into tones of savage passion, as he uttered a series of
blasphemous curses against this unfortunate butt of his indignation
and malignity. At length he rushed out furiously to know why he did not
return; but, on reaching a secret excavation in the mound against which
the house was built, he found, to his utter dismay, that Denis had
made his escape by an artificial passage, scooped out of it to secure
themselves a retreat in case of surprise or detection. It opened behind
the house among a clump of black-thorn and brushwood, and wis covered
"with green turf in such a manner as to escape the notice of all who
were not acquainted with the secret. Meehan's face on his return was
worked up into an expression truly awful.

"We're sould!" said he; "but stop, I'll tache the thraithur what revenge
is!"

In a moment he awoke his brother's two sons, and dragged them by the
neck, one in each hand, to the hearth.

"Your villain of a father's off," said he, "to betray us; go, an' folly
him; bring him back, an' he'll be safe from me: but let him become a
slag agin us, and if I should hunt you both into bowels of the airth,
I'll send yez to a short account. I don't care that," and he snapped his
fingers--"ha, ha--no, I don't care that for the law; I know how to dale
with it, when it comes! An' what's the stuff about the other world, but
priestcraft and lies!"

"Maybe," said the Big Mower, "Denis is gone to get the foreway of us,
an' to take the horse himself. Our best plan is to lose no time, at all
events; so let us hurry, for fraid the night might happen to clear up."

"He!" said Meehan, "he go alone! No; the miserable wretch is afeard
of his own shadow. I onl