"I don't know. Only middling, I believe." "Well-I'll tell you a story of a boy that flogged Europe for 'cuteness-so that if you have a mind to be ready with an answer for every cross question that 'ill be put to you, you can learn it after him;—a thing that may be useful to you one time or another, when the charge of the house is left in your hands."

"Well, let me hear it."

"I will, then, do that. Go on with your dress, and I'll have my story done before you are ready to receive Mr. Cormac."

So saying, she drew a stool near her niece, and leaning forward with her chin on her hand, commenced the following tale.

"There was a couple there, long ago, and they had a son that they didn't know rightly what was it they'd do with him, for they had not money to get him Latin enough for a priest, and there was only poor call for day labourers in the country. 'I'll tell you what I'll do,' says the father, says he; I'll make a thief of him,' says he; sorrow a better trade there is going than the roguery-or more money-making for a boy that would be industrious.' Its true for you,' says the wife, making answer to him; but where will you get a master for him, or who'll take him for an apprentice in such a business?' 'I'll tell you that,' says the husband to her again. I'll send him to Kerry. Sorrow better hand would you get at the business any where,

than there are about the mountains there-and I'll be bound he'll come home to us a good hand at his business,' says he. Well and good, they sent off the boy to Kerry, and bound him for seven years to a thief that was well known in these parts, and counted a very clever man in his line. They heard no more of him for the seven years, nor hardly knew that they were out, when he walked in to them one morning, with his Save all here!' and took his seat at the table along with them— a fine, handsome lad, and mighty well spoken. 'Well, Mun,' says the father, 'I hope you're master o' your business?' Pretty well for that, father,' says he; 'wait till we can have a trial of it.'

With all my heart,' says the father; and I hope to see that you haven't been making a bad use o' your time while you were away!' Well, the news ran among the neighbours, what a fine able thief Mun had come home, and the landlord himself came to hear of it, amongst the rest. So when the father went to his work the next morning, he made up to him, and-Well,' says he, this is a queer thing I'm told about you, that you had your son bound to a thief in Kerry, and that he's come home to you a great hand at the business.' 'Passable, indeed, he tells me, sir,' says the father, quite proud in himself. Well, I'll tell you what it is,' says the gentleman; 'I have a fine horse in my stable, and I'll put a guard upon him to-night— and if your son be that great hand that he's reported to be, let him come and steal him out from among the

people to-night-and if he does, he shall have my daughter in marriage, and my estate, when I die,' says he. A great offer, surely,' says the poor man. But if he fails,' says the gentleman, 'I'll prosecute him, and have him hanged, and you along with him, for serving his time to a thief; a thing that's clearly again all law,' says he. Well, 'tis unknown what a whilliloo the father set up when he heard this. 'O, murther, sir,' says he, and sure 'tis well, you know, that if a spirit itself was there he couldn't steal the horse that would be guarded that way-let alone my poor boy,' says he; and how will it be with us, or what did we ever do to you, sir, that you'd hang us that way?' 'I have my own reasons for it,' says the gentleman, and you'd better go home at once, and tell the boy about it, if you have a mind he should try his chance.' Well, the father went home, crying and bawling, as if all belonging to him were dead. E,' what ails you, father,' says the son, 'or what is it makes you be

So he up and told him

bawling that way?' says he. the whole business, how they were to be hanged, the two of them, in the morning, if he wouldn't have the racer stolen. 'That beats Ireland,' says the son, 'to hang a man for not stealing a thing is droll, surely; but make your mind easy, father, my master would think no more of doing that than he would of eating a boiled potatoe.' Well, the old man was in great spirits when he heard the boy talk so stout, although he wasn't without having his doubts upon the business, for all that. The boy set to