his honour to advise them how to get rid iv the spirit for
good an' all.

'So says his Raverince, says he:

'"I'll take my booke," says he, "an' I'll read some rale sthrong holy
bits out iv it," says he, "an' do you get a rope and put it round the
hamper," says he, "an' let it swing over the runnin' wather at the
bridge," says he, "an' it's no matther if I don't make the spirit come
out iv it," says he.

'Well, wid that, the priest got his horse, and tuck his booke in undher
his arum, an' the boys follied his Raverince, ladin' the horse down to
the bridge, an' divil a word out iv Terence all the way, for he seen
it was no use spakin', an' he was afeard if he med any noise they might
thrait him to another gallop an finish him intirely.

'Well, as soon as they war all come to the bridge, the boys tuck the
rope they had with them, an' med it fast to the top iv the hamper an'
swung it fairly over the bridge, lettin' it hang in the air about twelve
feet out iv the wather.

'An' his Raverince rode down to the bank of the river, close by, an'
beginned to read mighty loud and bould intirely.

'An' when he was goin' on about five minutes, all at onst the bottom iv
the hamper kem out, an' down wint Terence, falling splash dash into the
water, an' the ould gandher a-top iv him. Down they both went to the
bottom, wid a souse you'd hear half a mile off.

'An' before they had time to rise agin, his Raverince, wid the fair
astonishment, giv his horse one dig iv the spurs, an' before he knew
where he was, in he went, horse an' all, a-top iv them, an' down to the
bottom.

'Up they all kem agin together, gaspin' and puffin', an' off down wid
the current wid them, like shot in under the arch iv the bridge till
they kem to the shallow wather.

'The ould gandher was the first out, and the priest and Terence
kem next, pantin' an' blowin' an' more than half dhrounded, an' his
Raverince was so freckened wid the droundin' he got, and wid the sight
iv the sperit, as he consaved, that he wasn't the better of it for a
month.

'An' as soon as Terence could spake, he swore he'd have the life of the
two gossoons; but Father Crotty would not give him his will. An' as soon
as he was got quiter, they all endivoured to explain it; but Terence
consaved he went raly to bed the night before, and his wife said the
same to shilter him from the suspicion for havin' th' dthrop taken. An'
his Raverince said it was a mysthery, an' swore if he cotched