no cat here,' says she.

"'Yelp, yelp, yelp!' went the dogs outside.

"'Oh, keep the dogs out o' this,' says the old hag--'oh--o--o--o!' and the
huntsman saw her eyes glare under the blanket, just like a cat's.

"'Hillo!' says the huntsman, pulling down the blanket--and what should he
see but the old hag's flank all in a gore of blood.

"'Ow, ow! you old divil--is it you? you ould cat!' says he, opening the
door.

"In rushed the dogs--up jumped the old hag, and changing into a cat before
their eyes, out she darted through the window again, and made another run
for it; but she couldn't escape, and the dogs gobbled her while you could
say 'Jack Robinson.' But the most remarkable part of this extraordinary
story, gentlemen, is, that the pack was ruined from that day out; for
after having eaten the enchanted cat, _the devil a thing they would ever
hunt afterwards but mice._"




CHAPTER XXIV


Murphy's story was received with acclamation by all but the little man.

"That is all a pack of nonsense," said he.