Judith, with her apron
up to her eyes.

"If I've any voice in the matter, I say no. Please the pigs, I'll come
back a colonel."

"Then you'll be no match for Judith McCrae," replied the sobbing girl.

"Shoot easy, my Judith, that's touching my honour; if I'm a general it
will be all the same."

"Oh, Patrick! Patrick!"

Patrick folded Judith in his arms, took one kiss, and then hastened out
of the house, saying--"Remember the shealing, Judith, dear, there we'll
talk the matter over easy and comfortable."

Patrick returned to his house, where he found his mother and sisters in
tears. They had received orders to prepare his wardrobe, which, by the
bye, did not give them much trouble from its extent; they only had to
mend every individual article. His father was sitting down by the
hearth, and when he saw Patrick he said to him,--"Now just come here, my
boy, and take a stool, while you listen to me and learn a little worldly
wisdom, for I may not have much time to talk to you when we are at
Dublin."

Patrick took a seat, and was all attention.

"You'll just observe, Pat, that it's a very fine thing to be an officer
in the king's army; nobody dares to treat you ill, although you may
ill-treat others, which is no small advantage in this world."

"There's truth in that," replied Patrick.

"You see, when you get into an enemy's country, you may help yourself;
and, if you look sharp, there's very pretty pickings--all in a quiet
way, you understand."

"That, indeed."

"You observe, Pat, that, as one of his officers, the king expects you to
appear and live like a gentleman, only he forgets to give you the means
of so doing; you must, therefore, take all you can get from his Majesty,
and other people must make up the difference."

"That's a matter o' course," said Patrick.

"You'll soon see your way clear, and find out what you may be permitted
to do, and what you may not; for the king expects you to keep up the
character of a gentleman as well as the appearance."

"O' course."

"Mayhap you may be obliged to run in debt a little--a gentleman may do
that; mayhap you may not be able to pay--that's a gentleman's case very
often: if so, never go so far as twenty pounds; first, because the law
don't reach; and secondly, because twenty pound is quite enough to make
a man suffer for the good of his country."

"There's sense in that, father."

"And, Patrick, recollect that people judge by appearances in this wo