But there is n't a house that is near ye
But they 're glad to have Darby the Blast,
And they 'll tell ye 'tis he that can cheer ye.
Oh! 't is he can put life in a feast;
What music lies under his knuckle;
As he plays "Will I send for the Priest?"
Or a jig they call "Cover the Buckle."
Oh! good luck to the chanter, your sowl!

But give me an audience in rags;
They 're illigant people for list'ning;
'T is they that can humor the bags
As I rise a fine tune at a christ'ning.
There 's many a weddin' I make
Where they never get further nor sighing;
And when I perform at a wake,
The corpse looks delighted at dying.
Oh! success to the chanter, your sowl!

"Eh! what's that?" cried a gruff voice; "the corpse does what?"

"'T is a rhetorical amplification, that means he would if he could,"
said Darby, stopping to explain.

"I say," said another, "that's all gammon and stuff; a corpse could n't
know what was doing,--eh, old fellow?"

"'T is an Irish corpse I was describin'," said Darby, proudly, and
evidently, while sore pushed for an explanation, having a severe
struggle to keep down his contempt for the company that needed it.

An effort I made at this moment to obtain a nearer view of the party,
from whom I was slightly separated by some low brushwood, brought my
hand in contact with something sharp; I started and looked round, and to
my astonishment saw a clasp knife, such as gardeners carry, lying open
beside me. In a second I guessed the meaning of this. It had been so
left by Darby, to give me an opportunity of cutting the cords that bound
my arms, and thus facilitating my escape. His presence was doubtless
there for this object, and all the entertaining powers he displayed
only brought forth to occupy the soldiers' attention while I effected my
deliverance. Regret for the time lost was my first thought; my second,
more profitable, was not to waste another moment. So, kneeling down
I managed with the knife to cut some of my fastenings, and after some
little struggle freed one arm; to liberate the other was the work of
a second, and I stood up untrammelled. What was to be done next? for
although at liberty, the soldiers lay about me on every side, and escape
seemed impossible. Besides, I knew not where to turn, where to look for
one friendly face, nor any one who would afford me shelter. Just then
I heard Dar