n a knock, and he did not wish to sacrifice his
own nag, for a chance selection out of those in McKeon's yard, nor
yet for a flock of turkeys.

However, though the Major wouldn't join in a handicap, others
would--and McKeon wasn't baulked of his amusement. Men soon had their
hands in their pockets, waiting the awards of the arbiter, which were
speedily pronounced; and various and detailed were the descriptions
given of the brutes which were intended to change hands; but not
in general such as made those who got them satisfied with their
bargains, when they afterwards became acquainted with their real
merits.

Peter Dillon threw away sundry shillings in endeavouring to part with
the Mayo colt, but either he had been there before with the same kind
of cattle, or he priced him too high; he couldn't get his money for
him, either from little Larry Kelly, or his elder brother who was
there.

Tony, before the evening was over, gave the Boyle officers two or
three most desperate bargains. First, he got the celebrated mare
Kickie-wickie for a pair of broken down gig horses, to run tandem:
engaged to go quiet and not kick in harness. They couldn't be
warranted sound: but then, as Tony said, what horse could? and he
was so particular--he would never say a horse was sound, unless he
knew it; in fact, he never warranted a horse sound; which was true
enough, for Tony knew no one would take his warrant; and then when
the Captain was in the first fit of grief for Kickie-wickie, some
good-natured friend having told him that the two gig horses weren't
worth a feed of oats, Tony gave her back again for a good hack
hunter, and a sum of money to boot, about the real value of the mare.
Again, late in the evening--when the punch had made further inroads
upon the poor warrior's brain--he gave him back his own hunter for
the two gig horses and a further sum of money: from all which it will
be seen by those who understand the art, that the officer from Boyle
could not have made a great deal, and that Tony McKeon could not be
much out of pocket.

This fun continued till about two, when half the party were too
drunk to care about winning and losing--and the other half, mostly
consisting of the married men, too wary to attempt business with
those as knowing as themselves. Gayner and Brown had gone home to
bed, as they had to be up and walk ten miles before breakfast, with
their great coats on; after which, as Gayner had told Mrs. McKeon, he