ruct one still finer.

"But, sir, though the King of Munster was certainly determined to kill
the Gubbaun Seare, he found it very difficult to lay a plan to do
it--for he well knew who he had to deal with, and how hard it would be
to catch him. However, the king incraysed his wages, and made him very
well off, so that he mightn't suspect any thing; but, for fear he
should, he sent for the man who owned the house where the Gubbaun and
Boofun lived, privately, and made him great presents to keep the
saycret, and to lay hands on the Gubbaun if he suspected that he was
about to start away in any hurry. But, sir, as luck would have it,
this very man's daughter, who loved the Gubbaun and Boofun dearly,
happened to be behind the door, or in a closet, while the king was
giving these horrible directions to her father, and determined at once
to let them know the danger they were in."

"I wonder, Tom, the Gubbaun didn't suspect something?"

"O, then, most likely he did, and was well prepared, I dare say, (for
we all know, sir, how hard it is to trust these kings and great
people,) still the girl found it very hard to make the Gubbaun
sensible of his danger; and she knew there was always a strict guard
over him, and spies out, for fear he'd make his escape; though, the
palace not being finished yet, the king did not like to do the action
for a while.

"One day the Gubbaun and Boofun had been hard at work at some grand
temple, and they came back at night, mighty hungry. This very girl was
the cook, and she had a very fine lookin' pot of pratees on the fire
for dinner."

"Potatoes, Tom! No! Why they came from America, a thousand or more
years after this!"

"Why, then, now, did they, your honor? Well, I suppose it was
something as good; any how, we'll call them pratees."

"'Good evenin'!' says the Gubbaun; 'is supper ready?'

"'O, quite ready,' says she; 'but it's a poor one we have to-day, only
pratees and eggs,' says she; for you know, your honor, they didn't
live _then_ as we do _now_--they knew better than that.

"'Well, them same's good,' says he. 'Did you never hear the old
saying, When all _fruits_ fail, welkim _haws_!' for he'd always a
pleasant joke or saying in his mouth. 'But what's this?' says he;
'Why, how came so many raw ones among them?'

"'O,' says she, looking hard at him, 'if you _will_ stop _here_, you
must take things as they come, agreeable and disagreeable, for that's
the way they're going!'

"'By