"'Is it doubting my charackther you'd be, sir?' says Tom, pretending to be
in a passion.

"'Tom, your sowl!' says the voice in the sack, '_if you let the cat out
of the bag_, I'll murther you.'

"'An honest man would make no objection to be sarched,' said the Squire;
'and I insist on it,' says he, laying hold o' the bag, and Tom purtending
to fight all the time; but, my jewel! before two minutes, they shook the
cat out o' the bag, sure enough, and off she went with her tail as big as
a sweeping brush, and the Squire, with a thundering view halloo after her,
clapt the dogs at her heels, and away they went for the bare life. Never
was there seen such running as that day--the cat made for a shaking bog,
the loneliest place in the whole country, and there the riders were all
thrown out, barrin' the huntsman, who had a web-footed horse on purpose
for soft places; and the priest, whose horse could go anywhere by reason
of the priest's blessing; and, sure enough, the huntsman and his riverence
stuck to the hunt like wax; and just as the cat got on the border of the
bog, they saw her give a twist as the foremost dog closed with her, for he
gave her a nip in the flank. Still she went on, however, and headed them
well, towards an old mud cabin in the middle of the bog, and there they
saw her jump in at the window, and up came the dogs the next minit, and
gathered round the house with the most horrid howling ever was heard. The
huntsman alighted, and went into the house to turn the cat out again, when
what should he see but an old hag lying in bed in the corner?

"'Did you see a cat come in here?' says he.

"'Oh, no--o--o--o!' squealed the old hag, in a trembling voice; 'there's