rowd around was waiting anxiously to see the attempt made, so
that they might enjoy their triumph. To watch Black Tom drawing
Moytubber without a fox would be nuts to them; and then to follow the
hounds on to the next covert, and to the next, with the same result,
would afford them an ample day's amusement. But the Bodkins, and the
Blakes, and the Persses were quite alive to this, and so also was Tom
Daly. A council of war was therefore held, in order that the line of
conduct might be adopted which might be held to be most conducive to
the general dignity of the hunt.

"I should send the hounds home," said Lord Ardrahan. "If Mr. Daly
would call at my place and lunch, as he goes by, I should be most
happy."

Tom Daly, on hearing this, only shook his head. The shake was
intended to signify that he did not like the advice tendered, nor
the accompanying hospitable offer. To go home would be to throw down
their arms at once, and acknowledge themselves beaten. If beaten
to-day, why should they not be beaten on another day, and then what
would become of Tom Daly's employment? A sad idea came across his
mind, as he shook his head, warning him that in this terrible affair
of to-day, he might see the end of all his life's work. Such a
thought had never occurred to him before. If a crowd of disloyal
Roman Catholics chose to prevent the gentry in their hunting,
undoubtedly they had the power. Daly was slow at thinking, but an
idea when it had once come home to him, struck him forcibly. As
he shook his head at that moment he bethought himself, what would
become of Black Daly if the people of the county refused to allow his
hounds to run? And a second idea struck him,--that he certainly would
not lunch with Lord Ardrahan. Lord Ardrahan was, to his thinking,
somewhat pompous, and had been felt by Tom to expect that he, Tom,
should acknowledge the inferiority of his position by his demeanour.
Now such an idea as this was altogether in opposition to Tom's mode
of living. Even though the hounds were to be taken away from him, and
he were left at Daly's Bridge with the L200 a year which had come to
him from his father, he would make no such acknowledgment as that to
any gentleman in County Galway. So he shook his head, and said not a
word in answer to Lord Ardrahan.

"What do you propose to do, Daly?" demanded Mr. Persse.

"Go on and draw till night. There's a moon, and if we can find a fox
before ten, Barney and I will manage to kil