as our neighbours. But we don't pretend that we are
arch-bishops all the time we're doing it. There's where we differ from the
English.'

'And who is to govern us,' cried Kearney,' if we have no Lord-Lieutenant?'

'The Privy Council, the Lords Justices, or maybe the Board of Works, who
knows? When you are going over to Holyhead in the packet, do you ever ask
if the man at the wheel is decent, or a born idiot, and liable to fits? Not
a bit of it. You know that there are other people to look to this, and you
trust, besides, that they'll land you all safe.'

'That's true,' said Kearney, and he drained his glass; 'and now tell me one
thing more. How will it go with young O'Shea about this scrimmage, will it
be serious?'

'Curtis, the chief constable, says it will be an ugly affair enough.
They'll swear hard, and they'll try to make out a title to the land through
the action of trespass; and if, as I hear, the young fellow is a scamp and
a bad lot--'

'Neither one nor the other,' broke in Kearney; 'as fine a boy and as
thorough a gentleman as there is in Ireland.'

'And a bit of a Fenian, too,' slowly interposed Flood.

'Not that I know; I'm not sure that he follows the distinctions of party
here; he is little acquainted with Ireland.'

'Ho, ho! a Yankee sympathiser?'

'Not even that; an Austrian soldier, a young lieutenant of lancers over
here for his leave.'

'And why couldn't he shoot, or course, or kiss the girls, or play at
football, and not be burning his fingers with the new land-laws? There's
plenty of ways to amuse yourself in Ireland, without throwing a man out of
window; eh, Adams?'

And Adams bowed his assent, but did not utter a word.

'You are not going to open more wine?' remonstrated Kearney eagerly.

'It's done. Smell that, Mr. Kearney,' cried Flood, as he held out a
fresh-drawn cork at the end of the screw. 'Talk to me of clove-pinks and
violets and carnations after that? I don't know whether you have any
prayers in your church against being led into temptation.'

'Haven't we!' sighed the other.

'Then all I say is, Heaven help the people at Oporto; they'll have more to
answer for even than most men.'

It was nigh dawn when they parted, Kearney muttering to himself as he
sauntered back to the inn, 'If port like that is the drink of the Tories,
they must be good fellows with all their prejudices.'

'I'll be shot if I don't like that rebel,' said Flood as he went to bed.

CHAPTER L