rnt
spirits, and put him to bed, he being just able to tell me, as he was
dropping asleep, that he was my friend from No. 196 High Holborn.

'The next morning I sent up Dan to ask how he was, and he came down with
the news that he was fast asleep. "The best thing he could do," said
I; and I began to think over what a mighty load it would be upon my
conscience if the decent man had been drowned. "For, maybe, after all,"
thought I, "he is in earnest, maybe he wished to buy a beautiful place
like that I have described in the papers"; and so I began to relent, and
wonder with myself how I could make the country pleasant for him during
his stay. "It'll not be a day or two at farthest, particularly after he
sees the place. Ay, there's the rub--the poor devil will find out then
that I have been hoaxing him." This kept fretting me all day; and I
was continually sending up word to know if he was awake, and the answer
always was--still sleeping.

'Well, about four o'clock, as it was growing dark, Oakley of the Fifth
and two of his brother officers came bowling up to the door, on their
way to Carrick. Here was a piece of luck! So we got dinner ready for the
party, brought a good store of claret at one side of the fireplace, and
a plentiful stock of bog-fir at the other, and resolved to make a night
of it; and just as I was describing to my friends the arrival of my
guest above-stairs, who should enter the room but himself. He was a
round little fellow, about my size, with a short, quick, business-like
way about him. Indeed, he was a kind of a drysalter, or something of
that nature, in London, had made a large fortune, and wished to turn
country gentleman. I had only time to learn these few particulars, and
to inform him that he was at that moment in the mansion he had come to
visit, when dinner was announced.

'Down we sat; and, 'faith, a jollier party rarely met f together.
Poor Mr. Green knew but little of Ireland; but we certainly tried to
enlighten him; and he drank in wonders with his wine at such a rate that
by eleven o'clock he was carried to his room pretty much in the same
state as on his arrival the night before, the only difference being, it
was Sneyd, not saltwater, this time that filled him.

'"I like the cockney," said Oakley; "that fellow's good fun. I say, Bob,
bring him over with you to-morrow to dinner. We halt at Carrick till the
detachment comes up."

'"Could you call it breakfast?" said I. "There's a thou