h heretics as to believe that they have all been uttered in vain?
No, trust me, let us go and attack the castle this night or to-morrow at
farthest, and depend upon it, we shall gain such a victory as will make
all the people in the country around rise up and join us. They only
want to see a little success, and Ireland shall have her own again.
What, boys! are we to be kept down by the red-coats, and the vile
heretics who call George the Third king? No, I say again. Ireland for
the Irish. May Saint Patrick and all the blessed Saints fight for us,
and we will have true liberty once more in the green Isle of old Erin!"

While listening to the address of the priest, very similar to many
others uttered then, and even at the present day, by the so-called
pastors of the Romish Church in Ireland, Dermot was thinking over what
he should attempt to do. He knew perfectly well from the way his feet
had been tied to the bed, that he could liberate himself immediately;
but how to steal out of the cavern without being observed was the
difficulty; even should the chief body of the rebels go to sleep, it was
not likely that they would leave the cavern without a guard. If he
could escape, however, he thought his best plan would be to hasten off
to the castle, to which he felt sure he could find his way, and give
notice of the plans of the conspirators.

"The Earl probably does not dream of an attack being made on his
residence, and will not certainly be prepared," thought Dermot to
himself. "Perhaps the rebels will steal towards the chief door and
break it open before any one within can stop them. The frigate, too, if
she has not sailed already, will very likely go away, or be misled by
the treacherous information those people will send on board. Now, if I
could steal away without their finding out who I am, they will not
suspect that their plans are discovered as they know that the young lord
would not understand what had been said." Dermot's great desire
therefore was to escape from the cavern. He found that not only was it
expected that the country around would rise and attack all the
Protestant dwelling-houses in the neighbourhood, but that a French
squadron with troops would come off the coast and support their cause.

This, altogether, was terrible news, and Dermot felt that it was most
important it should be conveyed without delay to Kilfinnan Castle, the
principal seat in that neighbourhood.

Dermot had never liked