McKenna had a very sore throat at the time, but endeavored to comply. The others withdrawing somewhat from the table, he seated himself upon it and began with “The Miner and the Exciseman,” the tune being indescribable, the words about as follows: “I know that young folks like to hear a song; Its something funny—its not very long; Its of an exciseman, the story I’ll tell, Who thought t’other night he was going to h—ll. CHORUS. “With my fal-al-addy, dol, tol-ol-oddy-dol,” etc. “This exciseman went out upon the other day, He met plenty of smugglers, as I hear them say, All gauging their liquor, just ready to sell, This exciseman got drunk, boys, the truth for to tell. —CHORUS. “Well, ’twas nigh to a coal mine this exciseman did lie, When four or five miners there chanced to pass by; They took him on their shoulders and bore him away, Like a peddler’s pack, without any delay. —CHORUS. “It’s into the bucket they lowered him right down; When this jolly exciseman he got underground, An’ when he awoke in great horror and fear, Up starts a big miner, saying, ‘What brought you here?’ —CHORUS. “‘Indade, Mr. Devil, I don’t very well know, But I see that I have come to the regions below; An’ if ye spare me now, as you’ve oft done before, I’ll never kape robbin’ the poor any more!’ —CHORUS. “‘It’s what trade did you follow when you were above?’ ‘I was an exciseman, an’ few did me love.’ ‘If you’re an exciseman, why, here you’ll remain, An’ you’ll never get out of this dark cell again.’ —CHORUS. “‘Or you must give us money—now that we demand Before you get to one sight of the land!’ ‘Here is a hundred guineas,’ the exciseman did say, ‘For I long to get seeing the light of day!’” —CHORUS. “Served the skunk right!” said Cuff, rising from his chair, and giving the table a thump with his closed hand which made the room ring, and caused McKenna to get down rather hastily from the perch and look around to see if anybody were injured. Cuff gave him a reassuring wink and continued: “I don’t belave there is any one thing, exceptin’ a rattlesnake, that I hate more than a gauger—or a detective!” “Them’s my sentiments, precisely!” shouted McKenna. “Come, let’s have another smile, all around, and then we’ll go home!” This ended the operative’s first call on good old Micky Cuff, but it was by no means his last. He visited there, when he could not avoid it, during that winter, but later an incident occurred that may be related here, which terminated his companionship with that party. He does not go to see Micky Cuff any more—and did not, after the event alluded to, for many months preceding his departure from Shenandoah.