't a bailiff nor a polisman," broke in the
cripple, rebukingly.

"There's not a man in the Poddle won't stand up for Joe Curtis, if he
needs it," cried a powerfully built man, whose energy of manner showed
that he was the leader of a party.

"Yer honer's looking for Kitty Nelligan; but she's gone," whispered a
young creature, with a baby at her breast; and her eyes overran with
tears as she spoke. "She died o' Friday last," added she, in a still
fainter voice.

"Did n't ye hear him say it was Mister Joe he wanted? and there's the
house he lives in," said another.

"Yis, but he can't go up to him now," said the man who affected to
assume rule amongst them; "the one that came on the car said he was n't
to be disturbed on any account."

"Begorra," chimed in the cripple, "if it's a levee, yer honer must wait
yer turn!"

"I 'm quite willing," said Dan, good-humoredly; "a man has no right to
be impatient in the midst of such pleasant company;" and as he spoke, he
seated himself on a low stone bench beside the house door, with, all the
ease of one bent on being companionable.

Had MacNaghten assumed airs of haughty superiority or insolent contempt
for that motley assembly, he never could have attained to the position
to which the last words, carelessly uttered as they were, at once raised
him. They not only pronounced him a gentleman, but a man of the world
besides,--the two qualities in the very highest repute in that class by
which he was surrounded. Instead, therefore, of the familiar tone they
had previously used towards him, they now stood silently awaiting him to
speak.

"Do the people hereabouts follow any particular trade?" asked Dan.

"'T is straw chairs principally, your honer," replied the cripple, "is
the manufacture of the place; but most of us are on the streets."

"On the streets,--how do you mean?"

"There's Billy Glory, there yonder, he sings ballads; that man with the
bit of crape round his hat hawks the papers; more of us cry things lost
or stolen; and a few more lives by rows and rucktions at elections, and
the like."

"Faix! and," sighed the strong man, "the trade isn't worth the following
now. I remember when Barry O'Hara would n't walk the streets without
a body-guard,--five in front, and five behind him,--and well paid they
were; and I remember Hamilton Brown payin' fifty of us to keep College
Green against the Government, on a great Parliament night. Ay, and we
did it too!"

"They wor