villain!' said the
colonel, whilst the same unearthly shout of derision seemed to come
from behind an angle of the building. 'He's round that corner,' said
Mr. Bell, 'run, run.'

They followed the sound, which was continued at intervals along the
garden wall, but could discover no human being; at last both stopped
to draw breath, and in an instant, almost at their ears, sounded the
shout--

'Ho, ho, ho! Colonel Pratt, do you see Teigue now? do you hear him?
Ho, ho, ho! you're a fine colonel to follow the wind.'

'Not that way, Mr. Bell--not that way; come here,' said the colonel.

'Ho, ho, ho! what a fool you are; do you think Teigue is going to show
himself to you in the field, there? But, colonel, follow me if you
can: you a soldier! ho, ho, ho!' The colonel was enraged: he followed
the voice over hedge and ditch, alternately laughed at and taunted by
the unseen object of his pursuit (Mr. Bell, who was heavy, was soon
thrown out); until at length, after being led a weary chase, he found
himself at the top of the cliff, over that part of the river Lee,
which, from its great depth, and the blackness of its water, has
received the name of Hell-hole. Here, on the edge of the cliff, stood
the colonel out of breath, and mopping his forehead with his
handkerchief, while the voice, which seemed close at his feet,
exclaimed, 'Now, Colonel Pratt, now, if you're a soldier, here's a
leap for you! Now look at Teigue--why don't you look at him? Ho, ho,
ho! Come along; you're warm, I'm sure, Colonel Pratt, so come in and
cool yourself; Teigue is going to have a swim!' The voice seemed as if
descending amongst the trailing ivy and brushwood which clothes this
picturesque cliff nearly from top to bottom, yet it was impossible
that any human being could have found footing. 'Now, colonel, have you
courage to take the leap? Ho, ho, ho! what a pretty soldier you are.
Good-bye; I'll see you again in ten minutes above, at the house--look
at your watch, colonel: there's a dive for you'; and a heavy plunge
into the water was heard. The colonel stood still, but no sound
followed, and he walked slowly back to the house, not quite half a
mile from the Crag.

'Well, did you see Teigue?' said his brother, whilst his nephews,
scarcely able to smother their laughter, stood by.

'Give me some wine,' said the colonel. 'I never was led such a dance
in my life; the fellow carried me all round and round till he brought
me to the edge of the clif