“Ay, did they--that is, Christy read it--none but Christy--but he would not tell us what was in it--but said it was no matter, and he’d not be wasting his time reading an old song--so we thought no more, and he sent the boy up to the castle with a bill for smith’s work, as soon as we had eat the potatoes, and I thought no more about any thing’s being going wrong, no more than a child; and in the evening Christy said he must go to the funeral of a neighbour, and should not be home till early in the morning, may be; and it’s not two hours since he came home and wakened me, and told me where he had been, which was not to the funeral at all, but to the cave where the coat was found; and he put the coat and the broken head of the pike, and the papers all in the pockets, just as we found it, in the cave--and the paper was a list of the names of them _rubbles_ that met there, and a letter telling how they would make Lord Glenthorn their captain, or have his life; this was what made Christy to try and find out more--so he hid hisself in a hole in the side of the cave, and built hisself up with rubbish, only just leaving a place for hisself to breathe--and there he stayed till nightfall; and then on till midnight, God help us! so sure enough, them villains all come filling fast into the cave. He had good courage, God bless him for it--but he always had--and there he heard and saw all--and this was how they were talking:--First, one began by saying, how they must not be delaying longer to show themselves; they must make a rising in the country--then named the numbers in other parts that would join, and that they would not be put down so _asy_ as afore, for they would have good leaders--then some praised you greatly, and said they was sure you favoured them in your heart, by all the ill-will you got in the county the time of the last ‘ruction. But, again, others said you was milk and water, and did not go far enough, and never would, and that it was not in you, and that you was a sleepy man, and not the true thing at all, and neither beef nor _vael_. Again, thim that were for you spoke and said you would show yourself soon--and the others made reply, and observed you must now spake out, or never spake more; you must either head ‘em, or be tramped under foot along with the rest, so it did not signify talking, and Joey Kelly should not be fribbling any more about it; and it was a wonder, said they, he was not the night at the meeting. And what was this about your being going off for England--what would they do when you was gone with M’Leod the Scotchman, to come in over them again agent, who was another guess sort of man from you, and never slept at all, and would scent ‘em out, and have his corps after ‘em, and that once M’Leod was master, there would be no making any head again his head; so, not to be tiring you too much with all they said, backward and forward, one that was a captain, or something that way, took the word,