When breakfast was done with, I ordered the three horses saddled, and presently out in the courtyard Paddy was seated on his nag with the two sacks of pistols before him, and Jem in like manner with his two bundles of swords. The stableman held my horse, so I turned to Father Donovan and grasped him warmly by the hand. "A safe journey across the Channel to you, Father Donovan, and a peaceful voyage from there to Rome, whichever road you take. If you write to me in the care of the landlord of this inn I'll be sending and sending till I get your letter, and when you return I'll be standing and watching the sea, at whatever point you land in England, if you'll but let me know in time. And so good-bye to you, Father Donovan, and God bless you, and I humbly beseech your own blessing in return." The old man's eyes grew wider and wider as I went on talking and talking and shaking him by the hand. "What's come over you, O'Ruddy?" he said, "and where are you going?" "I am taking a long journey to the west and must have an early start." "Nonsense," cried Father Donovan, "it's two or three days before I can leave this shore, so I'll accompany you a bit of the way." "You mustn't think of it, Father, because you had a long day's ride yesterday, and I want you to take care of yourself and take thought on your health." "Tush, I'm as fresh as a boy this morning. Landlord, see that the saddle is put on that horse I came into Rye with." The landlord at once rushed off and gave the order, while I stood there at my wit's end. "Father Donovan," said I, "I'm in great need of haste at this moment, and we must ride fast, so I'll just bid good-bye to you here at this comfortable spot, and you'll sit down at your ease in that big arm-chair." "I'll do nothing of the kind, O'Ruddy. What's troubling you, man? and why are you in such a hurry this morning, when you said nothing of it yesterday?" "Father, I said nothing of it yesterday, but sure I acted it. See how we rode on and on in spite of everything, and did the whole journey from London to Rye between breakfast and supper. Didn't that give you a hint that I was in a hurry?" "Well, it should have done, it should have done, O'Ruddy; still, I'll go a bit of the way with you and not delay you." "But we intend to ride very fast, Father." "Ah, it's an old man you're thinking I'm getting to be. Troth, I can ride as fast as any one of the three of you, and a good deal faster than Paddy." At this moment the landlord came bustling in. "Your Reverence's horse is ready," he said. And so there was nothing for it but to knock the old man down, which I hadn't the heart to do. It is curious how stubborn some people are; but Father Donovan was always set in his ways, and so, as we rode out of Rye to the west, with Paddy and Jem following us, I had simply to tell his Reverence all about it, and you should have seen the consternation on his countenance.