Paddy Finn | Page 7

my body had rushed into it. The button which had kept the
foot of the shut-up-bed in its place had given way.
"Murder! murder!" I shouted out, believing that some diabolical
attempt had been made to take my life.
"Murther! murther!" echoed Molly, who, broom in hand, was engaged
at the further end of the kitchen. "Och, somebody has been kilt
entirely." And, frightened at the spectacle I exhibited, she rushed out of
the room to obtain assistance.
My cries and hers had aroused Mrs Mccarthy, who rushed in, followed
by the waiting-man and my uncle, who, gazing at me as I lay on the
floor, and seeing that I was almost black in the face, ordered one of the
servants to run off for the apothecary, to bleed me. In the meantime,
Mrs Mccarthy had hurried out for a pitcher of cold water. Having
dashed some over my face, she poured out several glasses, which I
swallowed one after the other, and by the time the apothecary had
arrived had so far recovered as to be able to dispense with his services.
Molly confessed to having got up at daylight, and begun to set matters
to rights in the kitchen; and, not observing me, supposing that her
mistress--who usually occupied the bed--had risen, she had hoisted it
up into its niche, and had turned the button at the top to keep it in its
place. Had not the button given way, my adventures, I suspect, would
have come to an untimely termination.

Having performed my ablutions, with the assistance of Mrs McCarthy,
in a basin of cold water, I was perfectly ready for breakfast, and very
little the worse for what had happened. Our meal was a hearty one, for
my uncle, like an old soldier, made it a rule to stow away on such
occasions a liberal supply of provisions, which might last him, if needs
be, for the remainder of the day, or far into the next.
Breakfast over, he ordered round the horses, and we recommenced our
journey. After riding some distance, on turning round, I perceived that
Larry was not following us.
"He knows the road we're going, and will soon overtake us," said my
uncle.
We rode on and on, however, and yet Larry didn't appear. I began to
feel uneasy, and at last proposed turning back to ascertain if any
accident had happened to him. He would surely not have remained
behind of his own free will. He had appeared perfectly sober when he
brought me my horse to mount; besides which, I had never known
Larry drunk in his life,--which was saying a great deal in his favour,
considering the example he had had set him by high and low around.
"We'll ride on slowly, and if he doesn't catch us up we'll turn back to
look for the spalpeen, though the delay will be provoking," observed
the major.
Still Larry did not heave in sight.
The country we were now traversing was as wild as any in Ireland.
High hills on one side with tall trees, and more hills on the other,
completely enclosed the road, so that it often appeared as if there was
no outlet ahead. The road itself was rough in the extreme, scarcely
allowing of the passage of a four-wheeled vehicle; indeed, our horses
had in some places to pick their way, and rapid movement was
impossible--unless at the risk of breaking the rider's neck, or his horse's
knees. Those celebrated lines had not been written:--
"If you had seen but these roads before they were made, You'd have lift

up your hands and blessed General Wade."
I had, however, been used to ground of all sorts, and was not to be
stopped by such trifling impediments as rocks, bushes, stone walls, or
streams.
"Something must have delayed Larry," I said at length. "Let me go
back, uncle, and find him, while you ride slowly on."
"No, I'll go with you, Terence. We shall have to make a short journey
instead of a long one, if the gossoon has been detained in Kilmore; and
I haven't clapped eyes on him since we left the town."
We were on the point of turning our horses' heads to go back, when
suddenly, from behind the bushes and rocks on either side of the road, a
score of ruffianly-looking fellows, dressed in the ordinary costume of
Irish peasants, rushed out and sprang towards us, some threatening to
seize our reins, and others pointing muskets, blunderbusses, and pistols
at us. Those not possessing these weapons were armed with shillelahs.
One of the fellows, with long black hair and bushy beard,--a hideous
squint adding to the ferocity of his appearance,--advanced with a
horse-pistol in one hand, the other outstretched as if to seize the