Had Flavia indeed escaped, had the raid which Colonel Sullivan had so
audaciously conceived failed to embrace her, the issue might have been
different. Had she appeared upon the scene at the critical moment, her
courage and enthusiasm might have supported the spirits of the
assemblage and kept it together. But Uncle Ulick had not the force to
do this: much less had old Timothy Burke or Sir Donny. Uncle Ulick, we
know, expected little good from the rising; he was prepared for any,
the worst mishap; while the faith of the older men in any change for
the better was not robust enough to stand alone or to resist the first
blast of doubt.

Their views indeed were more singular than cheerful.

"Very like," Sir Donny said, with a fallen under-lip, "the ould earth's
opened her mouth and swallowed them. She's tired, small blame to her,
with all the heretics burdening her and tormenting her--the cream of
hell's fire to them!"

"Whisht, man!" the other answered. "Be easy; you're forgetting one's a
bishop. Small chance of the devil's tackling him, and, like enough the
holy water and all ready to his hand!"

"Then I'm not knowing what it is," the first pronounced hopelessly.

"There you speak truth, Sir Donny," Tim Burke answered. "Is it they can
be losing their way in the least taste of fog there is, do you think?"

"And the young lady knowing the path, so that she'd be walking it
blindfold in the dark!"

"I'm fearing, then, it will be the garr'son from Tralee," was Uncle
Ulick's contribution. And he shook his head. "The saints be between us
and them, and grant we'll not be seeing more of them than we like, and
sooner!"

"Amen to that same!" replied old Timothy Burke, with an uneasy look
behind him.

There was nothing comforting in this. And the messengers sent to learn
what was amiss and why the expected party did not arrive had as little
cheer to give. They could learn nothing. On which Uncle Ulick and his
fellows rubbed their heads: the small men wondered. A few
panic-stricken, began to slip away, but the mass were faithful. An hour
went by in this trying uncertainty, and a second and part of a third;
and messengers departed and came, and there were rumours and alarms,
and presently something like the truth got abroad; and there was talk
of pursuit, and a band of young stalwarts was detailed and sent off.
Still the greater part of the assemblage, with Irish patience, remained
seated in ranks on the slopes of the hi