themselves they'd be long sorry to let that picthur with them--for
he _was_ a picthur, and no doubt of it--to be an upcast to them
wherever they'd go. So before they started on again next mornin' they
tied Jack to a millstone, and left him there. That night again, when
they went to stop from their travellin', what would you have of it but
there was me brave Jack once more, not a hundred parches behind them,
and he dragging the millstone after him. Teddy and Billy said this was
too bad entirely; and next day, before they started again, they tied
another millstone to him, and they said, "Well, you'll not get away
from here in a hurry anyhow, boy." So on they went again on their
journey, laughing and cracking jokes, and telling passages, to pass
the time; but that night again, when they went to stop from their
journey, lo! and behold ye, who does they see coming tearing after
them but my poor Jack, once more, with the two millstones dragging
behind him. Then they were in a quandhary entirely, and they begun to
consider what was best to do with him, for they saw there was no
holdin' or tyin' of him, or keepin' him back at all, at all, for if
they were to tie him to a mountain in the mornin', he'd be afther them
with the mountain rattling at his heels again night. So they come to
the conclusion that it was best to take Jack with them, and purtend
him to be their hired boy, and not their brother at all. Of course, me
poor Jack, that was always agreeable, was only too ready to go on
these terms; and on the three of them went, afore them, till at length
they reached the King of England's castle. When the King of England
heard Teddy and Billy was the King of Ireland's two sons, he give them
_cead mile failte_,[3] was plaised and proud to see them, ordhered
them to be made much of, then opened his hall door, an' asked in the
nobility an' genthry of the whole counthry-side to a big dinner and
ball that he gave in their honour. But what do you have of it, but in
the middle of the ball doesn't Teddy have a fallout with the King of
England's son, and sthruck him, and then that was the play! The hubbub
and _hooroosh_ got up, and the King ordhered the ball to be stopped,
and had Teddy taken pris'ner, and Billy and Jack ordhered away out of
the kingdom. Billy and Jack went away, vexed in their hearts at
leaving Teddy in jail, and they travelled away till they came to
France, and the King of France's castle. Here, when the King of France