He stood there for an hour, for two hours, for three hours, and the
frost increased greatly, so that he heard the breaking of the
_traneens_ under his foot as often as he moved. He was thinking,
in his own mind, at last, that the sheehogues would not come that
night, and that it was as good for him to return back again, when
he heard a sound far away from him, coming towards him, and he
recognised what it was at the first moment. The sound increased,
and at first it was like the beating of waves on a stony shore, and
then it was like the falling of a great waterfall, and at last it was like
a loud storm in the tops of the trees, and then the whirlwind burst
into the rath of one rout, and the sheehogues were in it.

It all went by him so suddenly that he lost his breath with it, but
he came to himself on the spot, and put an ear on himself, listening
to what they would say.

Scarcely had they gathered into the rath till they all began
shouting, and screaming, and talking amongst themselves; and then
each one of them cried out: "My horse, and bridle, and saddle! My
horse, and bridle, and saddle!" and Guleesh took courage, and called
out as loudly as any of them: "My horse, and bridle, and saddle! My
horse, and bridle, and saddle!" But before the word was well out of
his mouth, another man cried out: "Ora! Guleesh, my boy, are you
here with us again? How are you getting on with your woman? There's
no use in your calling for your horse to-night. I'll go bail you
won't play such a trick on us again. It was a good trick you played
on us last year?"

"It was," said another man; "he won't do it again."