Hycy would have interrupted the schoolmaster, but that he felt puzzled as to whether he spoke seriously or ironically; his attention besides was divided between him and the party in conflict.
“Come,” said he, addressing Hogan and Teddy, “put an end to this work, and why did you, you misbegotten vagabond,” he added, turning to the latter, “suffer these fellows to remain here when you knew I was to come up?”
“I must shell my fwisky,” replied Teddy, sullenly, “fwhedher you come or stay.”
“If you don't clear the place of them instantly,” replied Hycy, “I shall return home again.”
Hogan seemed a good deal alarmed at this intimation, and said—“Ay, indeed, Terry, we had better put them out o' this.”
“Fwhor fwhat?” asked Teddy, “dere my best customers shure—an' fwlay would I quarrel wid 'em all fwor wan man?”
“Good-night, then, you misshapen ruffian,” said Burke, about to go.
“Aisy, Mr. Burke,” said. Hogan; “well soon make short work wid them. Here, Ted, you devil's catch-penny, come an' help me! Hillo, here!” he shouted, “what are you at, you gallows crew? Do you want to go to the stone jug, I say? Be off out o' this—here's the guager, blast him, an' the sogers! Clear out, I tell you, or every mother's son of you will sleep undher the skull and cross-bones to-night.” (* Meaning the County Prison)
“Here you, Barney,” whispered Teddy, who certainly did not wish that Burke should return as he came; “here, you great big fwhool you, give past your yowlin' dere—and lookin' at your blood—run out dere, come in an' shout the gauger an' de sogers.”
Barney, who naturally imagined that the intelligence was true, complied with the order he had received in a spirit of such alarming and dreadful earnestness, that a few minutes found the still-house completely cleared of the two parties, not excepting Hogan himself, who, having heard nothing of Teddy's directions to the fool, took it now for granted that that alarm was a real one, and ran along with the rest. The schoolmaster had fallen asleep, Kate Hogan was engaged in making preparations for supper at the lower end of the casern, and the fool had been dispatched to fetch Hogan himself back, so that Hycy now saw there was a good opportunity for stating at more length than he could in the market the purpose of his visit.
“Teddy,” said he, “now that the coast's clear, let us lose no time in coming to the point. You are aware that Bryan M'Mahon has come into the mountain farm of Ahadarra by the death of his uncle.”
“Shiss; dese three years.”
“You will stick to your cursed brogue,” said the other; “however, that's your own affair. You are aware of this?”
“I am.”
“Well, I have made my mind up to take another turn at this,” and he tapped the side of the still with his stick; “and I'll try it there. I don't know a better place, and it is much more convenient than this.”
Teddy looked at him from under his brows, but seemed rather at a loss to comprehend his meaning.
“Fwor fhy 'ud you go to Ahadarra?”
“It's more convenient, and quite as well adapted for it as this place, or nearly.”
“Well! Shiss, well?”
“Well; why that's all I have to say about it, except that I'm not to be seen or known in the business at all—mark that.”
“Shiss—well? De Hogans must know it?”
“I am aware of that; we couldn't go on without them. This running of your's will soon be over; very well. You can go to Ahadarra to-morrow and pitch upon a proper situation for a house. These implements will do.”
“No, dey won't; I wouldn't tink to begin at all wid dat ould skillet. You must get de Hogans to make a new Still, Head and Worm, an' dat will be money down.”
“Very well; I'll provide the needful; let Philip call to me in a day or two.”
“Dat Ahadarra isn't so safe,” said Teddy. “Fwhy wouldn't you carry it on here?” and he accompanied the query with a piercing-glance as he spoke.
“Because,” replied Hycy, “I have been seen here too often already, and my name must not in any way be connected with your proceedings. This place, besides, is now too much known. It's best and safest to change our bob, Ted.”
“Dere's trewt in dhat, anyhow,” said the other, now evidently more satisfied as to Hycy's motive in changing. “But,” he added, “as you is now to schange, it 'ud be gooder to shange to some better place nor Ahadarra.”
“I know of none better or safer,” said Burke.
“Ay, fifty,” returned his companion, resuming his suspicious looks; “but no matther, any way you must only plaise yerself—'tis all the shame to me.”
“Ahadarra it must be then,” said the other, “and that ends it.”
“Vary well, den, Ahadarra let her be,” said Ted, and the conversation on this subject dropped.
The smuggler's supper now made it's appearance. The geese were beautifully done, and as Hycy's appetite had got a keen stimulus by his mountain walk, he rendered them ample justice.
“Trot,” said Teddy, “sich a walk as you had droo de mountains was enough to sharpen anybody's appetite.”
Hogan also plied him with punch, having provided himself with sugar for that express purpose. Hycy, however, was particularly cautious, and for a long time declined to do more than take a little spirits and water. It was not, in fact, until he had introduced the name of Kathleen Cavanagh that he consented to taste punch. Between the two, however, Burke's vanity was admirably played on; and Hogan wound up the dialogue by hinting that Hycy, no matter how appearances might go, was by no means indifferent to the interesting daughter of the house of Cavanagh.
At length, when the night was far advanced, Burke rose, and taking his leave like a man who had forgotten some appointment, but with a very pompous degree of condescension, sought his way in the direction of home, across the mountains.
He had scarcely gone, when Hogan, as if struck by a sudden recollection, observed as he thought it would be ungenerous to allow him, at that hour of the night, to cross the mountains by himself. He accordingly whispered a few words to his wife, and left them with an intention, as he said, to see Mr. Hycy safe home.
CHAPTER V.—Who Robbed Jemmy Burke?
On the second morning after the night described in the last chapter, Bryan M'Mahon had just returned to his father's house from his farm in Ahadarra, for the purpose of accompanying him to an Emigration auction in the neighborhood. The two farms of Carriglass and Ahadarra had been in the family of the M'Mahon's for generations, and were the property of the same landlord. About three years previous to the period of our narrative, Toal M'Mahon, Bryan's uncle, died of an inflammatory attack, leaving to his eldest nephew and favorite the stock farm of Ahadarra. Toal had been a bachelor who lived wildly and extravagantly, and when he died Bryan suceeeded to the farm, then as wild, by the way, and as much neglected as its owner had been, with an arrear of two years' rent upon it. In fact the house and offices had gone nearly to wreck, and when Bryan entered into occupation he found that a large sum of money should be expended in necessary improvements ere