together,
and O'Grady, seizing the trumpeter by the back of the neck, shook him
violently, while he denounced with fierce imprecations his insolence in
daring to practise a joke on him. The trumpeter protested his innocence,
and O'Grady called him a lying rascal, finishing his abuse by clenching
his fist in a menacing attitude, and telling him to play.

"I can't, yer honour!"

"You lie, you scoundrel."

"There's something in the trumpet, sir."

"Yes, there's music in it; and if you don't blow it out of it----"

"I can't blow it out of it, sir."

"Hold your prate, you ruffian; blow this minute."

"Arrah, thry it yourself, sir," said the frightened man, handing the
instrument to the Squire.

"D----n your impudence, you rascal; do you think I'd blow anything that
was in your dirty mouth? Blow, I tell you, or it will be worse for
you."

"By the vartue o' my oath, your honour----"

"Blow, I tell you!"

"By the seven blessed candles----"

"Blow, I tell you!"

"The trumpet is choked, sir."

"There will be a trumpeter choked, soon," said O'Grady, gripping him by
the neck-handkerchief, with his knuckles ready to twist into his throat.
"By this and that I'll strangle you, if you don't play this minute, you
humbugger."

"By the Blessed Virgin, I'm not humbiggin' your honour," stammered the
trumpeter with the little breath O'Grady left him.

Scatterbrain, seeing O'Grady's fury, and fearful of its consequences,
had alighted from the carriage and came to the rescue, suggesting to
the infuriated Squire that what the man said might be true. O'Grady
said he knew better, that the blackguard was a notorious joker, and
having indulged in a jest in the first instance, was now only lying to
save himself from punishment; furthermore, swearing that if he did not
play that minute he'd throw him into the ditch.

With great difficulty O'Grady was prevailed upon to give up the gripe
of the trumpeter's throat; and the poor breathless wretch, handing the
instrument to the clarionet-player, appealed to him if it were possible
to play on it. The clarionet-player said he could not tell, for he did
not understand the trumpet.

"You see there!" cried O'Grady. "You see he's humbugging, and the
clarionet-player is an honest man."

"An honest man!" exclaimed the trumpeter, turning fiercely on the
clarionet-player. "He's the biggest _villain_ unhanged for sthrivin' to
get me murthered, and refusin' the evidence for me!" The man's ey