'There are two or three good names among them, however,' answered Devereux; and by this time they were on the threshold of the Phoenix. 'Larry,' he cried to the waiter, 'the Nightingale Club is _there_, is it not?' glancing at the great back parlour door. 'Be the powers! Captain, you may say that,' said Larry, with a wink, and a grin of exquisite glee. 'See, Larry,' said Toole, with importance, 'we're a little serious now; so just say if there's any of the gentlemen there; you--you understand, now; quite steady? D'ye see me?' Larry winked--this time a grave wink--looked down at the floor, and up to the cornice, and-- 'Well,' said he, 'to be candid with you, jest at this minute--half-an-hour ago, you see, it was different--the only gentleman I'd take on myself to recommend to you as perfectly sober is Mr. Macan, of Petticoat-lane.' 'Is he in business?' asked Toole. 'Does he keep a shop?' said Devereux. 'A shop! _two_ shops;--a great man in the chandlery line,' responded Larry. 'H'm! not precisely the thing we want, though,' says Toole. 'There are some of them, surely, that _don't_ keep shops,' said Devereux, a little impatiently. 'Millions!' said Larry. 'Come, say their names.' 'Only one of them came this evening, Mr. Doolan, of Stonnybatther--he's a retired merchant.' 'That will do,' said Toole, under his breath, to Devereux. Devereux nodded. 'Just, I say, tap him on the shoulder, and tell him that Dr. Toole, you know, of this town, with many compliments and excuses, begs one word with him,' said the doctor. 'Hoo! Docthur dear, he was the first of them down, and was carried out to his coach insensible jist when Mr. Crozier of Christ Church began, "Come Roger and listen;" he's in his bed in Stonnybatther a good hour and a half ago.' 'A retired merchant,' says Devereux; 'well, Toole, what do you advise now?' 'By Jove, I think one of us must go into town. 'Twill never do to leave poor Nutter in the lurch; and between ourselves, that O'Flaherty's a--a blood-thirsty idiot, by Jove--and ought to be put down.' 'Let's see Nutter--you or I must go--we'll take one of these songster's "noddies."' A 'noddy' give me leave to remark, was the one-horse hack vehicle of Dublin and the country round, which has since given place to the jaunting car, which is, in its turn, half superseded by the cab. And Devereux, followed by Toole, entered the front parlour again. But without their help, the matter was arranging itself, and a second, of whom they knew nothing, was about to emerge. CHAPTER IX. HOW A SQUIRE WAS FOUND FOR THE KNIGHT OF THE RUEFUL COUNTENANCE.