"Mr. Houlihan," said Keech, "you will not be forgotten by the leprechauns. If we ever meet again, upon another world perchance, you'll find our friendship always eager and ready."
"Thank you," I said.
"And now, Mr. Houlihan," said Keech, "I'll see that a quantity of gold is delivered to your rooms tonight, and so keep my part of the bargain."
"I'll not be needing the gold," I said.
Keech's eyebrows popped upward. "What's this now?"
"I'll not be needing it," I repeated. "I don't feel it would be right to take it for a service of this sort."
"Well," said Keech in surprise, and in some awe, too, "well, now, musha Lord help us! 'Tis the first time I ever heard such a speech from a mortal." He turned to his people. "We'll have three cheers now, do you hear, for Mr. Houlihan—friend of the little people as long as he shall live!"
And they cheered. And little tears crept into the corners of some of their turned-up eyes.
We shook hands, all of us, and I left.