I'm thankful to you. Your health, Larry,
an' all your healths! Phelim an' Peggy, success to yez, whether or not!
An' now, in regard o' your civility, I will spake up. My proposal is
this:--I'll put down guinea for guinea wid you."

Now we must observe, by the way, that this was said under the firm
conviction that neither Phelim nor the father had a guinea in their
possession.

"I'll do that same, Paddy," said Larry; "but I'll lave it to the present
company, if you're not bound to put down the first guinea. Nabors, amn't
I right?"

"You are right, Larry," said Burn; "it's but fair that Paddy should put
down the first."

"Molly, achora," said Donovan to the wife, who, by the way, was engaged
in preparing the little feast usual on such occasions--"Molly, achora,
give me that ould glove you have in your pocket."

She immediately handed him an old shammy glove, tied up into a hard
knot, which he felt some difficulty in unloosing.

"Come, Larry," said he, laying down a guinea-note, "cover that like a
man."

"Phelim carries my purse," observed the father; but he had scarcely
spoken when the laughter of the company rang loudly through the
house--The triumph of Donovan appeared to be complete, for he thought
the father's alusion to Phelim tantamount to an evasion.

"Phelim! Phelim carries it! Faix, an' I, doubt he finds it a light
burdyeen."

Phelim approached in all his glory.

"What am I to do?" he inquired, with a swagger.

"You're to cover that guinea-note wid a guinea, if you can," said
Donovan.

"Whether 'ud you prefar goold or notes," said Phelim, looking pompously
about him; "that's the talk."

This was received with another merry peal of laughter.

"Oh, goold--goold by all manes!" replied Donovan.

"Here goes the goold, my worthy," said Phelim, laying down his guinea
with a firm slap upon the table.

Old Donovan seized it, examined it, then sent it round, to satisfy
himself that it was a _bona fide_ guinea.

On finding that it was good, he became blank a little; his laugh lost
its strength, much of his jollity was instantly neutralized, and his
face got at least two inches longer. Larry now had the laugh against
him, and the company heartily joined in it.

"Come, Paddy," said Larry, "go an!--ha, ha, ha!"

Paddy fished for half a minute through the glove; and, after what was
apparently a hard chase, brought up another guinea, which he laid down.

"Come, Phelim!" said he, and his eye brightened