uch was Bartle
Flanagan, who now entered the house, and saluted all present with great
cordiality.

"Begad, boys," he said, "our four guards widout is worth any money. I
had to pass the sign-word afore 'I could pass myself, and that's the
way it ought to be. But, boys, before we go further, an' for fraid of
thraitors, I must call the rowl. You'll stand in a row roun' the walls,
an' thin we can make sure that there's no spies among us."

He then called out a roll of those who were members of his lodge and,
having ascertained that all was right, he proceeded immediately to
business.

"Rousin Redhead, what's the raisin you didn't take the arms from Captain
St. Ledger's stewart? Sixteen men armed was enough to do it, an' yees
failed."

"Ay, an' if you had been wid us, and sixteen more to the back o' that,
you'd failed too. Begarra, captain dear, it seems that good people is
scarce. Look at Mickey Mulvather there, you see his head tied up; but
aldo he can play cards well enough, be me sowl, he's short of wan ear
any how, an' if you could meet wan o' the same Stewart's bullets, goin'
abroad at night like ourselves for its divarsion, it might tell how he
lost it. Bartle, I tell you a number of us isn't satisfied wid you. You
sends us out to meet danger, an' you won't come yourself."

"Don't you know, Rouser, that I always do go whenever I can? But I'm
caged now; faix I don't sleep in a barn, and can't budge as I used to
do."

"An' who's tyin' you to your place, thin?"

"Rouser," replied Bartle, "I wish I had a thousand like you, not but
I have fine fellows. Boys, the thruth is this, you must all meet here
to-morrow night, for the short an' long of it is, that I'm goin' to run
away wid a wife."

"Well," replied Redhead, "sure you can do that widout our assistance, if
she's willin' to come."

"Willin'! why," replied Bartle, "it's by her own appointment we're
goin'."

"An' if it is, then," said the Rouser, who, in truth, was the leader
of the suspicious and disaffected party in Flanagan's lodge, "what the
blazes use have you for us?"

"Rouser Redhead," said Bartle, casting a suspicious and malignant glance
at him, "might I take the liberty of axin' what you mane by spakin'
of me in that disparagin' manner? Do you renumber your oath? or do you
forget that you're bound by it to meet at twelve hours' notice, or less,
whinever you're called upon? Dar Chriestha! man, if I hear another word
of the kind out of your lips,