we are, if Flannelly dhrives him and the ould
man out of Ballycloran; but av he'll stick to us, divil a lawyer of
'em all shall put a keeper on the lands; and I said before, and I
say it agin,--and av I prove a liar, may I never see the blessed
glory,--av young Macdermot 'll help the boys to right themselves,
the first foot Keegan puts on Ballycloran, he shall leave there, by
G----d!"

"But, Joe, s'pose now Mr. Thady agreed to join you here, what'd you
have him be doing at all?"

"I'd have him lend a hand to punish the murthering ruffian as have
got half the counthry dhruv into gaols, and as is playing his tricks
now with his own sisther."

"But what could any of you do? You wouldn't dare knock the chap on
the head?"

"Who wouldn't dare? by the 'tarnal, I'd dare it myself! Isn't there
two of us here, whose brothers is now in gaol along of him? Wouldn't
you dare, Jack, av he was up there again in the counthry, to tache
him how to be sazing your people?"

"By dad, I'd do anything, Joe; but I don't know jist as to
murthering. I'd do as bad to him as he did to Paddy: av they hung
him, then I'd murther him, and wilcome; but Paddy'll be out of that
some of these days--and I think therefore, Joe, av we stripped his
ears, it'd do this go."

Jack Byrne's equal justice pleased the majority of his hearers; but
it did not satisfy Joe. As for Pat, he continued smoking, and said
nothing.

"Oh, my boys, that's nonsense," said Joe; "either do the job, or
let it alone. Av you've a mind to let Captain Ussher walk into your
cabins and take any of you off to Carrick, jist as he plazes--why you
can; but I'm d----d if I does! I've had enough of him now; and by the
'tarnal powers, though I swing for it, putting Tim in gaol shall cost
him his life!"

Joe was very much excited and half tipsy; but he only said what most
of them were waiting to hear said, and what each of them expected;
not one voice was raised in dissent. Pat said nothing, but smoked and
gazed on the fire.

"Masther Thady'll be in at the wedding to-morrow, Pat?"

"Oh in course he will."

"Will you be axing him, thin?"

"Axing him what? is it to murther Ussher?"

"No, in course not that; but will you be thrying him, will he join
wid us to rid the counthry of him?"

"I tell ye, Joe, he's willing enough to be shut of him entirely, av
he knew how."

"Oh yes, Pat, I dare say he'd be willing any poor boy'd knock him on
the head, and so be rid of him; and av that