e sent to Bot[3]--and indeed if a bridge could be built of false
oaths, by my sowkins, they could sware themselves there without wettin'
their feet."--Here he overtook another peasant, whom he accosted with
the universal salutation of "God save you!"--"God save you kindly," was
returned for answer.--"And is it yourself that's there Mikee Noonan?"
said the one first introduced to the reader.

"Indeed it's mysef and nobody else," said Noonan; "an' where is it
you're goin' this fine mornin'?"

"An' is it yoursef that's axin' that same, Mikee?--why where is it I
would be goin' but to the berrin'?"

"I thought so in throth. It's yoursef that is always ripe and ready
for fun."

"And small blame to me."

"Why then it was a mighty complate thing, whoever it was that thought
of makin' a berrin', out of it."

"And don't you know?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"Why then who 'ud you think now laid it all out?"

"Faix I dunna--maybe 't was Pether Conolly."

"No it wasn't, though Pether's a cute chap--guess again."

"Well, was it Phil Mulligan?"

"No it wasn't, though you made a good offer at it sure enough, for if
it wasn't Phil, it was his sisther--"

"'Tare alive, is it Biddy, it was?"

"'Scure to the one else.--Oh she's the quarest craythur in
life.--There's not a thrick out, that one's not up to, and more
besides. By the powdhers o' war, she'd bate a field full o' lawyers at
schkamin'--she's the Divil's Biddy."

"Why thin but it was a grate iday intirely."

"You may say that in throth--maybe it's we won't have the fun--but see
who's before us there. Isn't it that owld Coogan?"

"Sure enough by dad."

"Why thin isn't he the rale fine ould cock to come so far to see the
rights o' the thing?"

"Faix he was always the right sort--sure in Nointy-eight, as I hear, he
was malthrated a power, and his place rummaged, and himself a'most
kilt, bekase he wouldn't inform an his neighbours."

"God's blessin' be an him and the likes av him that wouldn't prove
thraitor to a friend in disthress."

Here they came up with the old man to whom they alluded--he was the
remains of a stately figure, and his white hair hung at some length
round the back of his head and his temples, while a black and well
marked eyebrow overshadowed his keen grey eye--the contrast of the dark
eyebrow to the white hair rendered the intelligent cast of his features
more striking, and he was, altogether, a figure that one would not be
likely to p