his ase beside him, and he smoking as sober as a judge. Jack, however,
had a stout heart, bekase his conscience was clear, and, barring being
a little daunted, he wasn't very much afeard. 'Who is this coming down
towards us?' said the black-favored man, as he saw Jack approaching
them. 'It's Jack Magennis,' says the dog, making answer, and taking the
pipe out of his mouth with his right paw; and after puffing away the
smoke, and rubbing the end of it against his left leg, exactly as a
Christian (this day's Friday, the Lord stand betune us and harm) would
do against his sleeve, giving it at the same time to his comrade--'It's
Jack Magennis,' says the dog, 'honest Widow Magennis's dacent son.' 'The
very man,' says the other, back to him, 'that I'd wish to sarve out of a
thousand. Arrah, Jack Magennis, how is every tether-length of you?' says
the old fellow, putting the _furrawn_* on him--'and how is every bone
in your body, Jack, my darling? I'll hould a thousand guineas,' says he,
pointing to a great big bag that lay beside him, 'and that's only the
tenth part of what's in this bag, Jack, that you're just going to be in
luck to-night above all the nights in the year.'

* That frank, cordial manner of address which brings
strangers suddenly to intimacy.

"'And may worse never happen you, Jack, my bouchal,' says the dog,
putting in his tongue, then wagging his tail, and houlding out his paw
to shake hands with Jack.

"'Gintlemen,' says Jack, never minding to give the dog his hand, bekase
he heard it wasn't safe to touch the likes of him--'Gintlemen,' says he,
'ye're sitting far from the fire this frosty night.'

"'Why, that's true, Jack,' answers the ould fellow; 'but if we're