The words were scarcely uttered, when our friends, M’Carthy and Mogue, made their appearance in the caretaker’s house, both evidently in a fatigued state, especially M’Carthy, who had not been so well accustomed to travel over mountain scenery as his companion.

“Well, blessed be God that we have got the roof of a house over us at last!” exclaimed Mogue.  “Frank Finnerty, how are you? an’ Vread, achora, not forgettin’ you—­my hand to you both, but we’re lost—­especially this gentleman, Mr. M’Carthy—­a great friend of Mr. O’Driscol’s and Procthor Parcel’s—­but a betther man than either o’ them, I hope.”

“I am fairly knocked up, I admit,” said M’Carthy—­“in fact, I am more jaded than I ever was in my life.”

“Take a chair, sir,” said Finnerty; “you are welcome at all events, and I am glad to see you, or any friend of Mogue’s; take this chair, sir—­and—­here, Mogue, do you take a stool; you must be both in a sad state, sure enough.”

“Thank you, Frank,” replied Mogue, “oh, then, bad cess to it for a dirty mist—­God pardon me for cursin’ the poor mist though, for sure it wasn’t it’s fault, the crathur of a mist we oughn’t to curse anything that God has made, but indeed I’m a great sinner that way, God forgive me; howandever as I was sayin’, only for it afther all, Mr. Francis, it’s atin’ your comfortable dinner, or rayther drinkin’ your fine wine you’d be now at Mr. Purcel’s illigant table, instead of bein’ here as you are, however, sure it’s good to have a house over our heads any way.”

Finnerty and his wife heaped more turf on the fire, and the poor woman, with that kind spirit of hospitality and sympathy for which her countrywomen are so remarkable, told them that they must necessarily be hungry, and said she would lose no time in providing them with refreshment.

“Many thanks,” replied M’Carthy, “it is not refreshment, but rest we require; we have had more refreshments of every kind with us than he could use, and it is well we were so provident, otherwise we never would or could have reached even this house alive.  Such a day I have never spent—­we have done nothing but wade through this d—­d mist for the last six or eight hours, without the slightest knowledge of whereabout we were.”

“Well, well, Mr. Francis, sure it’s one comfort that we’re safe at all events,” said Mogue; “only I’m frettin’ myself about the onaisiness they’ll all feel at home, I mane in Mr. Purcel’s, about you.  Do you know now, that a thought strikes me, sir; I’m fresher than you are a good. deal.  Now what if I’d run home and make their minds aisy in the first place, and get Jerry Joyce to bring the car up for you as far as the mountain road?  You can rest yourself here in the manetime, and Frank Finnerty will see you safe that far.  I’ll carry the gun and things with me too—­so that you’ll have a lighter tramp down the hills.”

This arrangement was precisely what M’Carthy could have wished.