“'You had better keep a straight tongue in your head,' says four-legs, 'while it's on your shoulders, or I'll break every bone in your skin--Jack, you're a fool,' says he, checking himself, and speaking kindly to him--'you're a fool; didn't I tell you the other day to do what you were bid, and keep never minding?' “'Well,' thought Jack to himself, 'there's no use in making him any more my enemy than he is--particularly as I'm in such a hobble.' “'You lie,' says the dog, as if Jack had spoken out to him, wherein he only thought the words to himself, 'you lie,' says he, 'I'm not, nor never was, your enemy, if you knew but all.' “'I beg your honor's pardon,' answers Jack, 'for being so smart with your honor, but, bedad, if you were in my case,--if you expected your master to roast you alive,--eat his dinner of your body,--make you sing the 'Black Joke,' by way of music for him; and, to crown all, know that your head was to be stuck upon a hook after--maybe you would be a little short, in your temper, as well as your neighbors.' “'Take heart, Jack,' says the other, laying his fore claw as knowingly as ever along his nose, and winking slyly at Jack, didn't I tell you that you had a friend in coort--the day's not past yet, so cheer up, who knows but there is luck before you still?' “'Why, thin,' says Jack, getting a little cheerful, and wishing to crack a joke with him, 'but your honor's very fond of the pipe!' 'Oh! don't you know, Jack,' says he, 'that that's the fashion at present among my tribe; sure all my brother puppies smoke now, and a man might as well be out of the world as out of the fashion, you know.' “When they drew near home, they got quite thick entirely; 'Now,' says Jack, in a good-humored way, 'if you can give me a lift in robbing this crane's nest, do; at any rate, I'm sure your honor won't be my enemy. I know you have too much good nature in your face to be one that wouldn't help a lame dog over a style--that is,' says he, taking himself up for fear of offending the other,--'I'm sure you'd be always inclined to help the weak side.' “'Thank you for the compliment,' says, the dog; 'but didn't I tell you that you have a friend in coort?' “When Jack went back to the lake, he-could only sit and look sorrowfully at the tree, or walls; about the edge of it, without being able to do anything else. He spent the whole day this way, till dinner-time, when what would you have of it, but he sees the darlin' coming out to him, as fair and as blooming as an angel. His heart, you may be sure, got up to his mouth, for he knew she would be apt to take him out of his difficulties. When she came up-- “'Now, Jack,' says she, 'there is not a minute to be lost, for I'm watch'd; and if it's discovered that I gave you any assistance, we will both be destroyed.' “'Oh, murder sheery!' (* Murder everlasting) says Jack, 'fly back, avourneen machree--for rather than anything should happen you, I'd lose fifty-lives.'