"Is your honor serious?" asked the Irishman.
"Quite so—go; but if another attempt is made to burn us out, we have weapons that we know how to use. Say so to those with whom you plotted."
"I won't say that I'm sorry for what I've done, 'cos no great harm has happened any how," said the Englishman, who appeared to possess more of an education than his companion; "but I'll say this—had we burned your store down, and then learned that you was not agin us, I should have felt bad, and would have tried to right it in some way. We are poor devils at best, and ain't got much in common, but we are all liable to make mistakes, and so we supposed that we were really doing something for the cause."
"It's little I thought it was ye," said the Irishman, who seemed determined also to offer an excuse. "Faith, had I known it was the two rael gintlemen who healed me sores, it's little I'd thought of setting ye on fire. Long lives to ye, and don't be afraid of bad luck after this. It's Paddy O'Shea who will fight for ye to the longest day that he lives."
We received the apologies with due dignity, and without placing too much stress upon what was said by the men; and at last they concluded to take their departure, but just as they got to the door, and while Fred was unlocking it, O'Shea expressed a desire to whisper a few words to my friend.
"If ye have such a thing as a thimble full of whiskey in the store, perhaps ye will give us a drink?" he said.
Fred hesitated for a moment, but at last concluded that it would be a cheap riddance by giving them a drink. He drew a couple of stiff glasses from the barrel, and they swallowed the liquor with a relish that would have delighted the heart of a manufacturer.
"Ah, how I should like to drink such stuff as that all day, and have nothing to do!" cried Pat; and he glanced fondly towards the barrel, as though anticipating another invitation, but he didn't get it.
They still hesitated about going, and the two villains looked first at one and then at another, as though they still had a matter that they wished to speak about.
"I also have a request," whispered the Englishman, evidently mistaking his man, and thinking that Fred was a good-natured sort of person, who would comply with every wish.