h, O'Kelly, what the deuce was that?' cried one of the party, as a
roar of laughter broke from amongst them.

"'Ah!' said I, mournfully,' I wasn't quick enough/

"'Quick enough!' cried they. 'Egad, I never saw anything like it. Why,
man, you were shot off like an arrow.'

"'Leaped off, if you please,' said I, with an air of an offended
dignity--'leaped off--didn't you see it?'

"'See what?'

"'The salmon, to be sure. A twelve-pounder, as sure as my name's
O'Kelly. He "set" it.'

"'Set a salmon!' shouted twenty voices in a breath. 'The thing's
impossible.'

"'Would you like a bet on it?' asked I drily.

"'No, no--damn it; no more bets; but surely----'

"'Too provoking, after all,' muttered I, 'to have lost so fine a fish,
and get such a ducking'; and with that I mounted my barb, and, waving my
hand, wished them a good-bye, and galloped into Killaloe.

"This story I have only related, because, insignificant as it was, it
became in a manner the pivot of my then fate in life. The jockey at once
made me an offer of partnership in his traffic, displaying before me
the numerous advantages of such a proposal. I was a disengaged man--my
prospects not peculiarly brilliant--the state of my exchequer by no
means encouraging the favourite nostrum of a return to cash payments,
and so I acceded, and entered at once upon my new profession with all
the enthusiasm I was always able to command, no matter what line of life
solicited my adoption.

"But it's near one o'clock, and so now, Mr. O'Leary, if you've no
objection, we'll have a grill and a glass of Madeira, and then, if you
can keep awake an hour or so longer, I'll try and finish my adventures."

CHAPTER VII. O'KELLY'S TALE.--CONTINUED.

"I left off at that flattering portion of my history where I became a
horse-dealer; in this capacity I travelled over a considerable portion
of Ireland, now larking it in the West--jollifying in the South--and
occasionally suffering a penance for both enjoyments, by a stray trip to
Ulster. In these rambles I contrived to make acquaintance with most of
the resident gentry, who, by the special freemasonry that attends my
calling, scrupled not to treat me on terms of half equality, and even
invite me to their houses--a piece of condescension on their part, which
they well knew was paid for, in more solid advantages.

"In a word, Mr. O'Leary, I became a kind of moral amphibia, with powers
to sustain life in two distinct and opposi