Never mind," said Sir William, taking him aside, "never mind, Hartley;
we will be able to defeat them yet. I shall send for the prosecuting
parties; get them to withdraw proceedings, and immediately fight it out
in my lawn or stable-yard."

After a great deal of similar squabbling and negotiation, the gentleman
at length got through the criminal calendar for the county, and with
still more startling honesty and disinterestedness, entered upon the
transactions of its fiscal business. Beaker, whenever he took no part
in the discussions that accompanied the settlement of each question, sat
reading a newspaper to the air of the Boyne Water, which he whistled
from habit in a low manner that was scarcely audible, unless to some
one who felt anxious to derive amusement, as several did, from the
originality of the performance.

"Gentlemen," said the secretary, "here is a list of the presentments.
The first is--For two miles and a quarter of a new road, running
from George Ganderwell's house at the Crooked Commons, out along
Pat Donnellan's little farm of the Stripe, through which it runs
longitudinally; then across Jemmy league's meadow, over the Muffin Burn,
then through widow Doran's garden, bisecting Darby M'Lorrinan's three
acre field, afterwards entering the Glebe, and passing close to the
lodge of the Rev. Phineas Lucre's avenue."

"Is there any opposition to this?" inquired the chairman.

"Read the next," said M'Clutchy, "and then we shall be the better able
to see."

No. 2. "For four miles of road, commencing at the Ban Ard river, which
it crosses, running through Frank Fagan's croft, along Rogues Town, over
Tom Magill's Long-shot meadow, across the Sally Slums, up Davy Aiken's
Misery-meerin, by Parra Rakkan's haggard, up the Dumb Hill, into Lucky
Lavery's Patch, and from that right ahead to Constitution Cottage, the
residence of Valentine M'Clutchy, Esq., within two hundred yards of
which it joins the high road to Castle Cumber."

"Now the question is," said Val, "can both these be passed during this
term?"

"Val," replied young Jollyblock, "if ever a man was afflicted with
modesty and disinterestedness you are he; and well becomes me the
parson, too, in his share of the job; but it's all right, gentlemen.
Work away, I Say. The Parson-magistrate, and the Agent-grand-juror have
set us an excellent example--ha---In.--ha! Deaker, drop whistling the
Boyne Water there, and see what's going on here."

"No," said De