M’Cormick immediately pulled Duffy’s coat, without speaking a word, as a hint to follow him with as little noise as possible, which he did, and ere many minutes they were so far in advance of the others, as to be enabled to converse without being heard. “Thar Bheah Duffy,” said his companion, “there’s not a minute to be lost.”

“There is not,” replied the other—­“but what will you do with me?  I’ll lend a hand in any way I can—­but remember that if we’re seen, or if it’s known that we go against them in this—­”

“I know,” said the other, “we’re gone men; still we must manage it somehow, so as to save the girl; God! if it was only on Connor O’Donovan’s account, that’s far away this night, I’d do it.  Dandy you wor only a boy when Blannarhasset prosecuted you, and people pitied you at the time, and now they don’t think much the worse of you for it; an’ you know it was proved since, that what you sed then was thrue, that other rogues made you do it, an’ thin lift you in the lurch.  But d—­n it, where’s the use of all this? give me your hand, it’s life or death—­can I thrust you?”

“You may,” said the other, “you may, Ned; do whatever you wish with me.”

“Then,” continued Ned, “I’ll go into the house, and do you keep near to them without bein’ seen; watch their motions; but above all things, if they take her off—­folly on till you see where they’ll bring her; after that they can get back enough—­the sogers, if they’re a wantin’.”

“Depind an me, Ned; to the core depind an me.”

They had now reached the Bodagh’s house, upon which, as upon every other object around them, the deep shadows of night rested heavily.  The Dandy took up his position behind one of the porches of the gate that divided the little grass—­plot before the hall—­door and the farmyard, as being the most central spot, and from which he could with more ease hear, or as far as might be observe, the plan and nature of their proceedings.

It was at least fifteen minutes before they reached the little avenue that led up to the Bodagh’s residence; for we ought to have told our readers, that M’Cormick and Duffy, having taken a short path, left the others—­who, being ignorant of it, were forced to keep to the road—­considerable behind them.  Ned was consequently from ten to fifteen minutes in the house previous to their arrival.  At length they approached silently, and with that creeping pace which betokens either fear or caution, as the case may be, and stood outside the gate which led to the grass-plot before the hall-door, not more than three or four yards from the porch of the farm-yard gate where the Dandy stood concealed.  And here he had an opportunity of witnessing the extreme skill with which Flanagan conducted this nefarious exploit.  After listening for about a minute, he found that their worthy leader was not present, but he almost immediately discovered that he was engaged in placing guards upon all the back windows of the dwelling-house and kitchen.  During his absence the following short consultation took place among those whom he left behind him, for the purpose of taking a personal part in the enterprise: