two assistants, telling then at the same time that if they ventured to stir, or raise any outcry, they were dead men.  While the shopmen remained thus bound to silence, five of the party proceeded to collect all the rifles and revolvers in the establishment, and place them in a canvas sack which had been brought for the purpose.  This sack, into which a few guns and seventy-two splendid revolvers of the newest construction had been put, was then carried off by two men, who, having transferred the contents to the safe-keeping of some confederates, returned with it very quickly to receive and bear away a large quantity of revolver cartridges which had been found in the shop.  This second “loot” having been effected, the guards who stood over Mr. Allport and his men, lowered their weapons, and after cautioning all three not to dare to follow them, quitted the shop in a leisurely manner, and disappeared down one of the by-streets.  As soon as he was able to collect his scattered wits, Mr. Allport rushed to the nearest police station, and gave information of what had occurred.  The police hastened to the scene of this daring exploit, but of course “the birds were flown,” and no one could say whither.

Needless to say how this occurrence intensified the perplexity and the rage of the government party in all parts of the country.  There was surely some fierce swearing in Dublin Castle on the day that news arrived, and perhaps many a passionate query blurted out as to whether police, detectives, magistrates, and all in that southern district were not secretly in league with the rebels.  In fact, a surmise actually got into the papers that the proprietors of the gunshops knew more about the disappearance of the arms, and were less aggrieved by the “seizure” than they cared to acknowledge.  However this might be, the popular party enjoyed the whole thing immensely, laughed over it heartily, and expressed in strong terms their admiration of the skill and daring displayed by the operators.  The following squib, which appeared in the Nation at the time, over the initials “T.D.S.,” affords an indication of the feelings excited among Irish nationalists by those extraordinary occurrences:—­

   THE CORK MEN AND NEW YORK MEN

       Oh, the gallant Cork men,
       Mixed with New York men,
   I’m sure their equals they can’t be found,
       For persevering
       In deeds of daring,
   They set men staring the world around. 
       No spies can match them,
       No sentries watch them,
   No specials catch them or mar their play,
       While the clever Cork men
       And cute New York men
   Work new surprises by night and day.

       Sedate and steady,
       Calm, quick, and ready,
   They boldly enter, and make no din. 
       Where’er such trifles
       As Snider rifles
   And bright six-shooters are stored within. 
       The Queen’s round towers