Now we must observe, by the way, that this was said under the firm conviction that neither Phelim nor the father had a guinea in their possession.

“I’ll do that same, Paddy,” said Larry; “but I’ll lave it to the present company, if you’re not bound to put down the first guinea.  Nabors, amn’t I right?”

“You are right, Larry,” said Burn; “it’s but fair that Paddy should put down the first.”

“Molly, achora,” said Donovan to the wife, who, by the way, was engaged in preparing the little feast usual on such occasions—­“Molly, achora, give me that ould glove you have in your pocket.”

She immediately handed him an old shammy glove, tied up into a hard knot, which he felt some difficulty in unloosing.

“Come, Larry,” said he, laying down a guinea-note, “cover that like a man.”

“Phelim carries my purse,” observed the father; but he had scarcely spoken when the laughter of the company rang loudly through the house—­The triumph of Donovan appeared to be complete, for he thought the father’s alusion to Phelim tantamount to an evasion.

“Phelim!  Phelim carries it!  Faix, an’ I, doubt he finds it a light burdyeen.”

Phelim approached in all his glory.

“What am I to do?” he inquired, with a swagger.

“You’re to cover that guinea-note wid a guinea, if you can,” said Donovan.

“Whether ’ud you prefar goold or notes,” said Phelim, looking pompously about him; “that’s the talk.”

This was received with another merry peal of laughter.

“Oh, goold—­goold by all manes!” replied Donovan.

“Here goes the goold, my worthy,” said Phelim, laying down his guinea with a firm slap upon the table.

Old Donovan seized it, examined it, then sent it round, to satisfy himself that it was a bona fide guinea.

On finding that it was good, he became blank a little; his laugh lost its strength, much of his jollity was instantly neutralized, and his face got at least two inches longer.  Larry now had the laugh against him, and the company heartily joined in it.

“Come, Paddy,” said Larry, “go an!—­ha, ha, ha!”

Paddy fished for half a minute through the glove; and, after what was apparently a hard chase, brought up another guinea, which he laid down.

“Come, Phelim!” said he, and his eye brightened again with a hope that Phelim would fail.

“Good agin!” said Phelim, thundering down another, which was instantly subjected to a similar scrutiny.

“You’ll find it good,” said Larry.  “I wish we had a sackful o’ them.  Go an, Paddy.  Go an, man, who’s afeard?”

“Sowl, I’m done,” said Donovan, throwing down the purse with a hearty laugh—­“give me your hand, Larry.  Be the goold afore us, I thought to do you.  Sure these two guineas is for my rint, an’ we mustn’t let them come atween us at all.”

“Now,” said Larry, “to let you see that my son’s not widout something to begin the world wid—­Phelim, shill out the rest o’ the yallow boys.”