d wailing keen
of the old women.

"Rubbish," said I suddenly and aloud, "and is it one of the best
swordsmen in England that is to be beaten by a lame horse?" My spirit
revived. I resolved to leave my horse in the care of the people of
the nearest house and proceed at once on foot to Bath. The people of
the inn could be sent out after the poor animal. Wheeling my eyes, I
saw a house not more than two fields away, with honest hospitable
smoke curling from the chimneys. I led my beast through a hole in the
hedge, and I slowly made my way toward it.

Now it happened that my way led me near a haycock, and as I neared
this haycock I heard voices from the other side of it. I hastened
forward, thinking to find some yokels. But as I drew very close I
suddenly halted and silently listened to the voices on the other side.

"Sure, I can read," Paddy was saying. "And why wouldn't I be able? If
we couldn't read in Ireland, we would be after being cheated in our
rents, but we never pay them any how, so that's no matter. I would be
having you to know we are a highly educated people. And perhaps you
would be reading it yourself, my man?"

"No," said Jem Bottles, "I be not a great scholar and it has a look of
amazing hardness. And I misdoubt me," he added in a morose and envious
voice, "that your head be too full of learning."

"Learning!" cried Paddy. "Why wouldn't I be learned, since my uncle
was a sexton and had to know one grave from another by looking at the
stones so as never to mix up the people? Learning! says you? And
wasn't there a convent at Ballygowagglycuddi, and wasn't
Ballygowagglycuddi only ten miles from my father's house, and haven't
I seen it many a time?"

"Aye, well, good Master Paddy," replied Jem Bottles, oppressed and
sullen, but still in a voice ironic from suspicion, "I never doubt me
but what you are a regular clerk for deep learning, but you have not
yet read a line from the paper, and I have been waiting this
half-hour."

"And how could I be reading?" cried Paddy in tones of indignation.
"How could I be reading with you there croaking of this and that and
speaking hard of my learning? Bad cess to the paper, I will be after
reading it to myself if you are never to stop your clatter, Jem
Bottles."

"I be still as a dead rat," exclaimed the astonished highwayman.

"Well, then," said Paddy. "Listen hard, and you will hear such
learning as would be making your eyes jump from your head. And 'tis
not m