a good deal of cogitation, he at length came to the conclusion that the school-master, Finigan, must have been the traitor, and with this impression he resolved to give that worthy personage a call upon his way home.  He found him as usual at full work, and as usual, also, in that state which is commonly termed half drunk, a state, by the way, in which the learned pedagogue generally contrived to keep himself night and day.  Hycy did not enter his establishment, but after having called him once or twice to no purpose—­for such was the din of the school that his voice could not penetrate it—­he at length knocked against the half open door, which caused him to be both seen and heard more distinctly.  On seeing him, the school-master got to his limbs, and was about to address him, when Hycy said—­

“Finigan, I wish to speak a few words to you.”

“O’Finigan, sir—­O’Finigan, Mr. Burke.  It is enough, sir, to be deprived of our hereditary territories, without being clipped of our names; they should lave us those at all events unmutilated.  O’Finigan, therefore, Mr. Burke, whenever you address me, if you plaise.”

“Well, Mr. O’Finigan,” continued Hycy, “if not inconvenient, I should wish to speak a few words with you.”

“No inconvenience in the world, Mr. Burke; I am always disposed to oblige my friends whenever I can do so wid propriety.  My advice, sir, my friendship, and my purse, are always at their service.  My advice to guide them—­my friendship to sustain—­and my purse—­hem!—­ha, ha, ha—­I think.  I may clap a payriod or full stop there,” he added, laughing, “inasmuch as the last approaches very near to what philosophers term a vacuum or nonentity.  Gintlemen,” he proceeded, addressing the scholars, “I am going over to Lanty Hanratty’s for a while to enjoy a social cup wid Mr. Burke here, and as that fact will cause the existence of a short interegnum, I now publicly appoint Gusty Carney as my locum tenens until I resume the reins of government on my return.  Gusty, put the names of all offenders down on a slate, and when I return ‘condign’ is the word; an’ see, Gusty—­mairk me well—­no bribery—­no bread nor buttons, nor any other materials of corruption from the culprits—­otherwise you shall become their substitute in the castigation, and I shall teach you to look one way and feel another, my worthy con-disciple.”

“Now, Finigan—­I beg your pardon—­O’Finigan,” said Hycy, when they were seated in the little back tap-room of the public-house with refreshments before them, “I think I have reason to be seriously displeased with you.”

“Displeased with me!” exclaimed his companion; “and may I take the liberty to interrogate wherefore, Mr. Hycy?”

“You misrepresented me to Bryan M’Mahon,” said Hycy.

“Upon what grounds and authority do you spake, sir?” asked Finigan, whose dignity was beginning to take offence.

“I have good grounds and excellent authority for what I say,” replied Hycy.  “You have acted a very dishonorable part, Mr. Finigan, and the consequence is that I have ceased to be your friend.”