Old  Fogarty  was  riot  slow  in  apprehending  the  allusions  made
by  the  sergeant,  and  expressed  a  hope  that  he  would  yet  see  his
niece  Mrs.  O'Kelly,  and  see  O'Kelly  a  captain.  When  the  egg
shells  had  circulated  half  a  dozen  of  times,  the  piper  commenced
operations,  the  feet  of  all  the  younger  portion  of  the  company
were  instantly  set  in  motion ;  O'Kelly  and  Kate  led  off  a  country
dance,  which  was  followed  in  quick  succession  by  jigs  and  horn-
pipes, performed  with  a  mirthful  agility  unknown  to  the  slow
and  scientific  movements  of  our  modern  quadrille,  or  the  heavy
prance  of  the  gallopade.  The  music  and  the  dance  were  occa-
sionally relieved  by  a  song  and  a  story,  and  the  night  was  passing
by  on  the  wingsof  joy,  whenahorseman  was  heard  to  dash  at  full
speed  into  the  bawn.  Jack  Ryan,  whose  name  and  peculiar  cir-
cumstances have  been  already  incidentally  mentioned,  formed  one
of  the  party,  and,  upon  hearing  the  noise  of  an  equestrian  at  such
a  time  and  place,  he  was  seen  to  make  his  exit  through  a  back
window  of  the  barn.  O'Kelly  was  not  slow  in  comprehending
the  meaning  of  his  flight,  but  he  seemed  to  pass  over  the  circum-


20  BOB  NORBERBY.
stance  unnoticed.  All  cause  of  apprehension  was,  however,  in-
stantly dispelled,  upon  a  well-dressed,  thick  set,  muscular  fellow,
with  a  heavy  brow  and  sinister  cast  of  countenance,  rushing  into
the  barn,  who  was  greeted  with  a  hearty  welcome,  and  shouts  of
"  our  old  friend  Queelan,  all  the  way  from  Dublin."  The  cause
of  his  unexpected  appearance  was  quickly  explained  by  him,  to
the  infinite  pain  and  embarrassment  of  some  of  the  company.
