I'm glad that all's safe in O'Driscol's;--but about the
night-boys? Were there any lives lost among them?"

"It's thought not, sir," replied the pedlar. "They left the marks o'
blood behind them, but the general opinion is, that there was no life
lost; I hope there wasn't--for, indeed, I have such a hatred against the
shed-din' of blood, that I don't wish even to hear of it."

"What was their object, have you learned, in attacking O'Driscol's
place?"

"Well, then, I didn't hear; but anyhow, they say that a new workin' boy
of O'Driscol's, that dogged them up beyant Darby Hourigan's, was wounded
by them, along with Darby himself, in regard, of his having joined the
young fellow in dodgin' afther them."

"Are they seriously hurt?" asked John.

"Throth that's more than I can say, but I hope they're not, poor
fellows; at any rate, I'm sure Mr. O'Driscol will have them well taken
care of till they're recovered."

"Certainly," observed the proctor, "if he thinks it his duty he will: my
friend O'Driscol will do what he conceives to be right."

The pedlar nodded significantly, and honored the observation with, a
broad grin. "Well, sir," said he, changing the conversation, "he may do
for that as he likes, but I must look to number one. Come, ladies--and,
by the way, where's my favorite, Miss Julia--from you?"

"She's not quite well this morning, Cannie," said her mother; "she has a
slight headache, I believe."

"Well, Miss Mary, then? Any purchases to-day, Miss Mary?"

"Not to-day, Cannie--the next time, perhaps."

"Cannie," said Purcel, "you praised your razors very highly at your last
visit;--have you a good case this morning?"

"Haven't I, sir? Wait till you see them."

He then produced a case, which the proctor purchased, and thus closed
his sales for that day.

The pedlar, however, notwithstanding that his commercial transactions
had been concluded, seemed somehow in no hurry. On the contrary, he took
up his pack and exclaimed, "I must go back to the kitchen, till I see
what can be done there in the way of business; hearin' that you were
finishin' breakfast, I hurried up here to sell my goods and have my
chat."

"Very well, Cannie," said the proctor, "try the folks below, and success
to you!"

The pedlar once more sought the kitchen, where he lingered in fact more
like a man who seemed fatigued than otherwise, inasmuch as his eyes
occasionally closed, and his head nodded, in spite of him. He kept,
howev