Oonah," said the widow: "you'll get a
spark out o' the turf cendhers."

"Some o' them will catch me, maybe," said Oonah.

"Get up, I tell you!" said the widow.

Oonah now arose, and groped her way to the fireplace, where, by dint of
blowing upon the embers and poking the rushlight among the turf ashes,
a light was at length obtained. She then returned to the bed, and threw
her petticoat over her shoulders.

"What's this at all?" said the widow, rising, and wrapping a blanket
round her.

"Bad cess to the know I know!" said Andy.

"Look under the bed, Oonah," said the aunt.

Oonah obeyed, and screamed, and ran behind Andy. "There's another here
yet!" said she.

Andy seized the poker, and, standing on the defensive, desired the
villain to come out: the demand was not complied with.

"There's nobody there," said Andy.

"I'll take my oath there is," said Oonah; "a dirty blackguard, without
any clothes on him."

"Come out, you robber!" said Andy, making a lunge under the truckle.

A grunt ensued, and out rushed the pig, who had escaped from the
dog--the dog having discovered a greater attraction in some fat that
was knocked from the dresser, which the widow intended for the dipping
of rushes in; but the dog being enlightened to his own interest without
rushlights, and preferring mutton fat to pig's ear, had suffered the
grunter to go at large, while he was captivated by the fat. The clink
of a three-legged stool the widow seized to the rescue was a stronger
argument against the dog than he was prepared to answer, and a remnant
of fat was preserved from the rapacious Coaly.

"Where's the rest o' the robbers?" said Oonah; "there's three o' them,
I know."

"You're dhramin'," said Andy. "Divil a robber is here but myself."

"And what brought you here?" said his mother.

[Illustration: Andy's Welcome Home]

"I was afeard they'd murdher me!" said Andy.

"Murdher!" exclaimed the widow and Oonah together, still startled by
the very sound of the word. "Who do you mane?"

"Misther Dick," said Andy.

"Aunt, I tell you," said Oonah, "this is some more of Andy's blundhers.
Sure Misther Dawson wouldn't be goin' to murdher any one; let us look
round the cabin, and find out who's in it, for I won't be aisy ontil I
look into every corner, to see there's no robbers in the place: for I
tell you again, there was three o' them undher the bed."

The search was made, and the widow and Oonah at length satisfied that
ther