H. N-rthc-te.
"Ah, so it is," said Joseph Gillis, with a flush of scarlet indignation mounting his noble brow, "It's not the driving and shooting I object to—it's the flirting!"
Joseph Gillis is very excitable when the fair sex is mentioned, and no doubt meant what he said.
Tim Healy followed on, regretting that Grandolph was not there, no doubt for the same reason that the Irish gentleman with a shillelagh was sorry to see no bald pates neat and handy. He said that the Boycotted were the happiest inmates of the distressful country, possibly feeling that they had plenty of time for drinking and fighting.
Then the various votes were taken and "talked at," in the customary way until the hands of the clock marked Three in the morning. Whenever a chance showed itself of a war-whoop—whiz—and down came the club upon somebody—anybody. A couple of hours after midnight the Irishmen became more conciliatory, soothed by the thought that on the following evening they would have King-Harman at their mercy.
"He will take a deal of bating," said Tim, "but whist, you will see how I shall get at him. He's been to Cremorne——"
"Fie, for shame!" cried Joseph Gillis, "don't talk of such sinful places!"
