cer, as a good man should do.
If there was a turkey, or a goose, or a duck, or a fowl, or a pig within
ten miles of us, he would have it: he was the boy for poaching. And now
tell me (and mind you tell the truth when you meet with a friend) what
made you leave your father and mother?"

"I was afraid of being taken up--" and here Joey stopped, for he hardly
knew what to say; trust his new acquaintance with his father's secret he
dare not, neither did he like to tell what was directly false; as the
reader will perceive by his reply, he partly told the truth.

"Afraid of being taken up! Why, what could they take up a spalpeen like
you for?"

"Poaching," replied Joey; "father poached too: they had proof against
me, so I came away with father's consent."

"Poaching! well, I'm not surprised at that, for if ever it was in the
blood, it is in yours--that's truth. And what do you mean to do now?"

"Anything I can to earn my bread."

"What can you do--besides poaching, of course? Can you read and write?"

"Oh, yes."

"Would you like to be a servant--clean boots, brush clothes, stand
behind a cab, run messages, carry notes, and hold your tongue?"

"I could do all that, I think--I am twelve years old."

"The devil you are! Well then, for your father's sake, I'll see what I
can do for you, till you can do better. I'll fit you out as a tiger,
and what's more, unless I am devilish hard up, I won't sell you. So
come along. What's your name?"

"Joey."

"Sure that was your father's name before you, I now recollect and should
any one take the trouble to ask you what may be the name of your master,
you may reply, with a safe conscience, that it's Captain O'Donahue. Now
come along. Not close after me--you may as well keep open file just
now, till I've made you look a little more decent."

CHAPTER EIGHT.

A DISSERTATION UPON PEDIGREE.

Our readers will not perhaps be displeased if we introduce Captain
O'Donahue more particularly to their notice: we shall therefore devote
this chapter to giving some account of his birth, parentage, and
subsequent career. If the father of Captain O'Donahue was to be
believed, the race of the O'Donahues were kings in Ireland long before
the O'Connors were ever heard of. How far this may be correct we cannot
pretend to offer an opinion, further than that no man can be supposed to
know so much of a family's history as the descendant himself. The
documents were never laid before