Such was the precaution with which this cowardly but accomplished miscreant proceeded towards the accomplishment of his purposes, and such was his apprehension lest the premature suspicion of a single individual might by contingent treachery defeat his design, or affect his personal safety. He had made up his mind to communicate the secret of his enterprise to none until the moment of its execution; and this being accomplished, his ultimate plans were laid, as he thought, with sufficient skill to baffle pursuit and defeat either the malice of his enemies or the vengeance of the law. No sooner had they left the schoolhouse than the Dandy and M'Cormick immediately separated from the rest, in order to talk over the proceedings of the night, with a view to their suspicions of the “Captain.” They had not gone far, however, when they were overtaken by two others, who came up to them at a quick, or, if I may be allowed the expression, an earnest pace. The two latter were Rousin Redhead and his son, Corney. “So, boys,” said the Rouser, “what do you think of our business to-night? Didn't I get well out of his clutches?” “Be me troth, Rouser, darlin',” replied the Dandy, “you niver wor completely in them till this minnit.” “_Dhar ma lham charth_,” said Corney, “I say he's a black-hearted villin.” “But how am I in his clutches, Dandy?” inquired the Rouser. “Why,” rejoined Duffy, “didn't you see that for all you said about his throwin' the post of danger on other people, he's givin' it to you to-morrow night?” Rousin Redhead stood still for nearly half a minute without uttering a syllable; at length he seized Dandy by the arm, which he pressed with the gripe of Hercules, for he was a man of huge size and strength. “_Chorp ad dioual_, you giant, is it my arm you're goin' to break?” “Be the tarnal primmer, Dandy Duffy, but I see it now!” said the Rouser, struck by Bartle's address, and indignant at the idea of having been overreached by him. “Eh, Corney,” he continued, addressing the son, “hasn't he the Rouser set? I see, boys, I see. I'm a marked man wid him, an' it's likely, for all he said, will be on the black list afore he sleeps. Well, Corney avic, you an' others know how to act if anything happens me.” “I don't think,” said M'Cormick, who was a lad of considerable penetration, “that you need be afeard of either him or the black list. Be me sowl, I know the same Bartle well, an' a bigger coward never put a coat on his back. He got as pale as a sheet, to-night, when Corney there threatened him; not but he's desateful enough I grant, but he'd be a greater tyrant only that he's so hen-hearted.” “But what job,” said the rouser, “has he for us to-morrow night, do you think? It must be something past the common. Who the _dioual_ can he have in his eye to run away wid?” “Who's the the purtiest girl in the parish, Rouser?” asked Ned. “I thought every one knew that.”