Hap House,
and he would be there early on the following morning. These tidings
had probably not as yet reached the owner of that blessed abode, and
if he could be the first to tell him--! The game there too might be
pretty enough, if it were played well, by such a master-hand as his
own. Yes; he would be at Hap House early in the morning;--but then,
how to get there?

He left his father preparing for bed, and going down into the bar
found Mr. O'Dwyer and his daughter there in close consultation.
They were endeavouring to arrive, by their joint wisdom, at some
conclusion as to what they should do with their two guests. Fanny
was for turning them out at once. "The first loss is the least,"
said she. "And they is so disrispectable. I niver know what they're
afther, and always is expecting the p'lice will be down on them."
But the father shook his head. He had done nothing wrong; the police
could not hurt him; and thirty pounds, as he told his daughter, with
much emphasis, was "a deuced sight of money." "The first loss is
the least," said Fanny, perseveringly; and then Aby entered to them.

"My father has made a mull of this matter again," said he, going at
once into the middle of the subject. "'E 'as come back without a
shiner."

"I'll be bound he has," said Mr. O'Dwyer, sarcastically.

"And that when 'e'd only got to go two or three miles further, and
hall his troubles would have been over."

"Troubles over, would they?" said Fanny. "I wish he'd have the
goodness to get over his little troubles in this house, by paying us
our bill. You'll have to walk if it's not done, and that to-morrow,
Mr. Mollett; and so I tell you; and take nothing with you, I can tell
you. Father 'll have the police to see to that."

"Don't you be so cruel now, Miss Fanny," said Aby, with a leering
look. "I tell you what it is, Mr. O'Dwyer, I must go down again to
them diggings very early to-morrow, starting, say, at four o'clock."

"You'll not have a foot out of my stables," said Mr. O'Dwyer. "That's
all."

"Look here, Mr. O'Dwyer; there's been a sight of money due to us from
those Fitzgerald people down there. You know 'em; and whether they're
hable to pay or not. I won't deny but what father's 'ad the best of
it,--'ad the best of it, and sent it trolling, bad luck to him. But
there's no good looking hafter spilt milk; is there?"

"If so be that Sir Thomas owed the likes of you money, he would have
paid it without your tramping down t