cks in the plain leave them to your
left, and keep the side of the mountain for two miles, 'till ye see the
smoke of the village underneath you. Murrah is a small place, and ye'll
have to look out sharp or maybe ye'll miss it."

"That's enough," said I, putting some silver in his hand as I pressed
it. "We'll probably meet no more; good-by, and many thanks for your
pleasant company."

"No, we're not like to meet again," said he, thoughtfully, "and that's
the reason I'd like to give you a bit of advice. Hear me now," said he,
drawing closer and talking in a whisper; "you can't go far in this
country without being known; 'tisn't your looks alone, but your voice,
and your tongue, will show what ye are. Get away out of it as fast as
you can! there's thraitors in every cause, and there's chaps in Ireland
would rather make money as informers than earn it by honest industry!
Get over to the Scotch islands; get to Isla or Barra; get any where out
of this for the time."

"Thanks for the counsel," said I, somewhat coldly, "I'll have time to
think over it as I go along," and with these words I set forth on my
journey.

CHAPTER XXVII.

"THE CRANAGH."

I will not weary my reader with a narrative of my mountain walk, nor the
dangers and difficulties which beset me on that day of storm and
hurricane. Few as were the miles to travel, what with accidents,
mistakes of the path, and the halts to take shelter, I only reached
Murrah as the day was declining.

The little village, which consisted of some twenty cabins, occupied a
narrow gorge between two mountains, and presented an aspect of greater
misery than I had ever witnessed before, not affording even the humblest
specimen of a house of entertainment. From some peasants that were
lounging in the street I learned that "Father Doogan" had passed through
two days before in company with a naval officer, whom they believed to
be French. At least, "he came from one of the ships in the Lough, and
could speak no English." Since that the priest had not returned, and
many thought that he had gone away forever. This story, varied in a few
unimportant particulars, I heard from several; and also learned that a
squadron of several sail had, for three or four days, been lying at the
entrance of Lough Swilly, with, it was said, large reinforcements for
the "army of independence." There was then no time to be lost: here was
the very force which I had been sent to communicate with; there were