"Well, I dare say he's doing good wherever he is," said Murtough; "I wanted to speak to him, but when he comes back send him to me. In the meantime, Tom, run down and bring up a batch of voters--we're getting a little ahead, I think, with the bothering I'm giving them up there, and now I want to push them with good strong tallies--run down to the yard, like a good fellow, and march them up." Off posted Tom Durfy on his mission, and Murphy returned to the court-house. Tom, on reaching Murphy's house, found a strange posse of O'Grady's party hanging round the place, and one of the fellows had backed a car against the yard gate which opened on the street, and was the outlet for Egan's voters. By way of excuse for this, the car was piled with cabbages for sale, and a couple of very unruly pigs were tethered to the shafts, and the strapping fellow who owned all kept guard over them. Tom immediately told him he should leave that place, and an altercation commenced; but even an electioneering dispute could not but savour of fun and repartee, between Paddies. "Be off!" said Tom. "Sure I can't be off till the market's over," was the answer. "Well, you must take your car out o' this." "Indeed now, you'll let me stay, Misther Durfy." "Indeed I won't." "Arrah! what harm?" "You're stopping up the gate on purpose, and you must go." "Sure your honour wouldn't spile my stand!" "'Faith, I'll spoil more than your stand, if you don't leave that." "Not finer cabbage in the world." "Go out o' that now, 'while your shoes are good,'"[25] said Tom, seeing he had none; for, in speaking of shoes, Tom had no intention of alluding to the word _choux_, and thus making a French pun upon the _cabbage_--for Tom did not understand French, but rather despised it as a jack-a-dandy acquirement. [25] A saying among the Irish peasantry--meaning there is danger in delay. "Sure, you wouldn't ruin my market, Misther Durfy." "None of your humbugging--but be off at once," said Tom, whose tone indicated he was _very much in earnest_. "Not a nicer slip of a pig in the market than the same pigs--I'm expectin' thirty shillin's apiece for them." "'Faith, you'll get more than thirty shillings," cried Tom, "in less than thirty seconds, if you don't take your dirty cabbage and blackguard pigs out o' that!" "Dirty cabbages!" cried the fellow, in a tone of surprise. The order to depart was renewed. "Blackguard pigs!" cried Paddy, in affected wonder. "Ah, Masther Tom, one would think it was afther dinner you wor." "What do you mean, you rap?--do you intend to say I'm drunk?" "Oh no, sir! But if it's not afther dinner wid you, I think you wouldn't turn up your nose at bacon and greens." "Oh, with all your joking," said Tom, laughing, "you won't find me a chicken to pluck for your bacon and greens, my boy; so, start!--vanish!--disperse!--my bacon-merchant."