Before the squireen had obtained his employment, he had sunk his rank and travelled much--as a courier--thereby gaining much knowledge of the world. If, therefore, he had no wealth to leave his children, at all events he could impart to them that knowledge which is said to be better than worldly possessions. Having three sons and eight daughters, all of them growing up healthy and strong, with commensurate appetites, he soon found that it was necessary to get rid of them as fast as he could. His eldest, who, strange to say, for an O'Donahue, was a quiet lad, he had as a favour lent to his brother, who kept a small tobacconist and grocer's shop in Dublin, and his brother was so fond of him, that eventually O'Carroll O'Donahue was bound to him as an apprentice. It certainly was a degradation for the descendant of such ancient kings to be weighing out pennyworths of sugar, and supplying halfpenny papers of tobacco to the old apple and fish women; but still there we must leave the heir-apparent while we turn to the second son, Mr Patrick O'Donahue, whose history we are now relating, having already made the reader acquainted with him by an introduction in Saint James's Park. CHAPTER NINE. IN WHICH THE ADVICE OF A FATHER DESERVES PECULIAR ATTENTION. It may be supposed that, as steward of the estates, Squireen O'Donahue had some influence over the numerous tenants on the property, and this influence he took care to make the most of. His assistance in a political contest was rewarded by the offer of an ensigncy for one of his sons, in a regiment then raising in Ireland, and this offer was too good to be refused. So, one fine day, Squireen O'Donahue came home from Dublin, well bespattered with mud, and found his son Patrick also well bespattered with mud, having just returned home from a very successful expedition against the woodcocks. "Patrick, my jewel," said the Squireen, taking a seat and wiping his face, for he was rather warm with his ride, "you're a made man." "And well made too, father, if the girls are anything of judges," replied Patrick. "You put me out," replied the Squireen; "you've more to be vain of than your figure." "And what may that be that you're discoursing about father?" "Nothing more nor less, nor better nor worse, but you're an ensign in his Majesty's new regiment--the number has escaped my memory." "I'd rather be a colonel, father," replied Patrick, musing. "The colonel's to come, you spalpeen," said the Squireen. "And the fortune to make, I expect," replied Patrick. "You've just hit it but haven't you the whole world before you to pick and choose?" "Well," replied Patrick, after a pause; "I've no objection." "No objection! Why don't you jump out of your skin with delight? At all events, you might jump high enough to break in the caling." "There's no ceiling to break," replied Patrick, looking up at the rafters.