Horan, an oily veteran, who
seldom opened his mouth but to put something into it, and spared his
words as if they were of value; and to make them appear so, he spoke in
apophthegms.

"What say you, James Reddy?" said Murtough.

"Ready, sure enough, and willing too!" answered James, who was a small
wit, and made the aforesaid play upon his name at least three hundred
and sixty-five times every year.

"Oh, we'll all come," was uttered right and left.

"Good men and true!" shouted Murphy; "won't we make the rafters shake,
and turn the cellar inside out! Whoo! I'm in great heart to-day. But
who is this powdhering up the road? By the powers! 't is the doctor, I
think; 't is--I know his bandy hat over the cloud of dust."

The individual thus designated as _the_ doctor now emerged from the
obscurity in which he had been enveloped, and was received with a loud
shout by the whole cavalcade as he approached them. Both parties drew
rein, and the doctor, lifting from his head the aforesaid bandy hat,
which was slouched over one eye, with a sinister droop, made a low
obeisance to Murphy, and said, with a mock solemnity, "Your servant,
sir--and so you're not killed?"

"No," said Murphy; "and you've lost a job, which I see you came to look
for--but you're not to have the carving of me yet."

"Considering it's so near Michaelmas, I think you've had a great
escape, signor," returned the doctor.

"Sure enough," said Murphy, laughing; "but you're late this time: so
you must turn back, and content yourself with carving something more
innocent than an attorney to-day--though at an attorney's cost. You
must dine with me."

"Willingly, signor," said the doctor; "but pray don't make use of the
word 'cost.' I hate to hear it out of an attorney's mouth--or _bill_, I
should say."

A laugh followed the doctor's pleasantry, but no smile appeared upon
_his_ countenance; for though uttering quaint and often very good, but
oftener very bitter, things, he never moved a muscle of his face, while
others were shaking their sides at his sallies. He was, in more ways
than one, a remarkable man. A massive head, large and rather protruding
eyes, lank hair, slouching ears, a short neck, and broad shoulders,
rather inclined to stooping, a long body, and short legs, slightly
bowed, constituted his outward man; and a lemon-coloured complexion,
which a residence of some years in the East Indies had produced, did
not tend to increase his beauty. His mi