"It'd be mighty curious, now, if I'd be afther lettin' strangers into the house while the cap'n is away," answered Biddy, who had evidently seen them coming, and had confronted them on the threshold; "in here you don't put your feet 'till the masther comes home to give ye lave, an' unless yez keep more civil tongues in your head that'll not be likely." "Are you the only person in the house?" asked one of the men. "An' what if I am the only person? I am as good as a dozen such spalpeens as you!" cried Biddy in high tones. "You've got as good as a dozen tongues in your head, you saucy jade," answered one of the men, with a laugh. "Saucy or not saucy, you don't come in here. I'm left in charge, with the mistress busy in one room an' my ould mither, who came all the way out from Ireland when I was a slip of a girl, sick in bed in another, so I'll ax you not to spake so loudly, or you'll be afther disturbing them. Now just sit down on the bank outside 'till the cap'n comes, or mount your horses and ride away about your business." "Come, come, Mistress Sharptongue, whether the cap'n shows himself or not, we intend to look round the house inside and out. We are hunting for a runaway nigger, and we understand that Captain Loraine has a black boy, and if he is not the one we are looking for, he's pretty sure to know where the other is. These free niggers ought to be hung up on the nearest trees wherever they are to be found; they are a pest to the country!" "Sure is it Pater ye mane!" exclaimed Biddy in an indignant tone; "nigger though he may be, he is more honest than many a white man." "Keep a civil tongue in your head, Misess Impudence or it may be the worse for you," said one of the men. Biddy gave a scornful laugh. "I'll be after t'aching you to keep a civil tongue in your head; just do as I tell you, or--" I could suppose Biddy flourishing her broomstick. The men laughed in return, and then, hearing a scuffle, fearing that she might be ill-treated, I thought it time to make my appearance with my gun in my left hand, though it would have cost me much had it been necessary to pull the trigger. Biddy was standing at bay, defending herself bravely against the two men, who were endeavouring to force their way into the hall, where the scene I am describing took place. Whack, whack! down came Biddy's stick on their arms, which they held up to defend their heads, when one of the fellows, who had received a harder blow than he liked, seized the stick with one hand, while with the other he drew his bowie-knife and pointed it at the girl, as if about to strike. "Arrah! now, ye coward, would ye be afther usin' your knife on a woman?" shrieked Biddy.