s, any way."

"Not a drop, Denis, thank ye," and Father John got up; "and now, boys
and girls, good night, and God bless you--and behave yourselves."

"Faix, then, yer riverence," said Joe Reynolds from the bottom of the
table, "you may tell by the way the boys take to the bottle, that
they'll behave themselves dacently and discreatly, like Christians."

"Indeed, then, Reynolds, where you are, and the whiskey with you, I
believe there's likely to be little discretion but the discretion of
drunkenness,--and not much of that."

"Thank ye, Father John, and it's you have always the kind word for
me."

"But, Father John," began Mary, "you're not really going to go
without so much as a tumbler of punch?"

"Not a drop, Mary, my dear; I took my punch after dinner--and I can't
stand too much. Good night, Feemy--you'll stay and have a dance I
suppose; good night, Captain Ussher."

And Father John got up from table, and went out of the room. As soon,
however, as Denis saw that he was really going, he rose and followed
him out of the door.

"Sit down, Denis, sit down--don't be laving your company such a night
as this."

"But I want to have jist a word with yer riverence."

"Well, what is it?"

"Jist step outside then, Father John."

"Well, Denis; is it anything about Betsy Cane? or has Ginty come
home, and is he wanting the pigs?"

"No, but would you just step outside here, Mr. McGrath; where those
long-eared ruffians won't be hearing me?" and he and the priest
walked a little distance from the door of Mrs. Mehan's house.

"I'm afeard, Father John, them born divils from Drumleesh and Mohill,
as Pat brought here to-night, are maning more than good to Captain
Ussher."

"And what makes you think that, Denis?"

"Why, Father John, Mary was saying that Pat towld her a lot of
his own frinds would be up with him, and that if they war talking
together, she and those as are with her dancing and the like, warn't
to be disturbing them; and then I knows them boys is very mad with
the Captain about that whiskey business up at Loch Sheen; and then
Joe Reynolds and Jack Byrne are in it, and their brothers are two of
them as war sazed and are now in Ballinamore Bridewell;--and I know
there is something of the sort going on through the counthry; and
faix, Father John, I wouldn't for money that anything happened, and I
in it the while; for a poor boy is always made to be mixed up in them
affairs, if by bad luck he is anywhere ne