calling the members together; and that he now begged respectfully
to submit to the chief, that some of the matters which would be submitted
to the collective wisdom would have reference to the 'Buck Goat' himself,
and that it would be an act of great courtesy on his part if he should
condescend to be present and afford some explanation.

That the bare possibility of being called to account by the 'Goats' would
drive Kearney into a ferocious passion, if not a fit of the gout, McGloin
knew well; and that the very last thing on his mind would be to come
amongst them, he was equally sure of: so that in giving his invitation
there was no risk whatever. Mathew Kearney's temper was no secret; and
whenever the necessity should arise that a burst of indiscreet anger should
be sufficient to injure a cause, or damage a situation, 'the lord' could be
calculated on with a perfect security. McGloin understood this thoroughly;
nor was it matter of surprise to him that a verbal reply of 'There is
no answer' was returned to his note; while the old servant, instead of
stopping the ass-cart as usual for the weekly supply of groceries at
McGloin's, repaired to a small shop over the way, where colonial products
were rudely jostled out of their proper places by coils of rope, sacks of
rape-seed, glue, glass, and leather, amid which the proprietor felt far
more at home than amidst mixed pickles and mocha.

Mr. McGloin, however, had counted the cost of his policy: he knew well that
for the ambition to succeed his lordship as Chief of the Club, he should
have to pay by the loss of the Kilgobbin custom; and whether it was that
the greatness in prospect was too tempting to resist, or that the sacrifice
was smaller than it might have seemed, he was prepared to risk the venture.

The meeting was in so far a success that it was fully attended. Such a
flock of 'Goats' had not been seen by them since the memory of man, nor was
the unanimity less remarkable than the number; and every paragraph of
Mr. McGloin's speech was hailed with vociferous cheers and applause, the
sentiment of the assembly being evidently highly National, and the feeling
that the shame which the Lord of Kilgobbin had brought down upon their
county was a disgrace that attached personally to each man there present;
and that if now their once happy and peaceful district was to be proclaimed
under some tyranny of English law, or, worse still, made a mark for the
insult and sarcasm of