begin to flag a little, because of the delay made by the others, who had
promised, if possible, to have the schoolmaster in the glen before
two o'clock. But the fact was, that Mat, who was far less deficient in
hospitality than in learning, brought them into his house, and not only
treated them to plenty of whiskey, but made the wife prepare a dinner,
for which he detained them, swearing, that except they stopped to
partake of it, he would not convoy them to the place appointed. Evening
was, therefore, tolerably far advanced, when they made their appearance
at the glen, in a very equivocal state of sobriety--Mat being by far the
steadiest of the three, but still considerably the worse for what he
had taken. He was now welcomed by a general huzza; and on his expressing
surprise at their appearance, they pointed to their horses, telling him
that they were bound for the fair of Clansallagh, for the purpose of
selling them. This was the more probable, as, when a fair occurs in
Ireland, it is usual for cattle-dealers, particularly horse-jockeys, to
effect sales, and "show" their horses on the evening before.

Mat now sat down, and was vigorously plied with strong poteen--songs
were sung, stories told, and every device resorted to that was
calculated to draw out and heighten his sense of enjoyment; nor were
their efforts without success; for, in the course of a short time, Mat
was free from all earthly care, being incapable of either speaking or
standing.

"Now, boys," said Dolan, "let us do the thing clane an' dacent. Let you,
Jem Coogan, Brian Murphy, Paddy Delany, and Andy O'Donnell, go back, and
tell the wife and two childher a cock-and-a-bull story about Mat--say
that he is coming to Findramore for good and all, and that'll be thruth,
you know; and that he ordhered yez to bring her and them afther him; and
we can come back for the furniture to-morrow."