retiring party was the snappish voice of the indefatigable little man,
shouting, ere he shut his door,--"Early--early--don't forget, Mistress
Kelly--_early!_"

A shake-down for Murphy in the parlour was hastily prepared; and after
Mrs. Kelly was assured by Murtough that he was quite comfortable, and
perfectly content with his accommodation, for which she made scores of
apologies, with lamentations it was not better, &c., &c., the whole
household retired to rest, and in about a quarter of an hour the inn was
in perfect silence.

Then Murtough cautiously opened his door, and after listening for some
minutes, and being satisfied he was the only watcher under the roof, he
gently opened one of the parlour windows and gave the preconcerted signal
which he and Dick had agreed upon. Dick was under the window immediately,
and after exchanging a few words with Murtough, the latter withdrew, and
taking off his boots, and screening with his hand the light of a candle he
carried, he cautiously ascended the stairs, and proceeded stealthily along
the corridor of the dormitory, where, from the chambers on each side, a
concert of snoring began to be executed, and at all the doors stood the
boots and shoes of the inmates awaiting the aid of Day and Martin in the
morning. But, oh! innocent calf-skins--destined to a far different fate--
not Day and Martin, but Dick the Devil and Company are in wait for you.
Murphy collected as many as he could carry under his arms and descended
with them to the parlour window, where they were transferred to Dick, who
carried them directly to the horse-pond which lay behind the inn, and
there committed them to the deep. After a few journeys up and down stairs,
Murtough had left the electors without a morsel of sole or upper leather,
and was satisfied that a considerable delay, if not a prevention of their
appearance at the poll on the morrow, would be the consequence.