J. F. Campbell Collection > Fireside stories of Ireland

I 1 8 THE FIRESIDE STORIES OF IRELAND.
about the house seemed inclined to confess, though he gave
out from the beginning that he'd have his hand on the
thief the evening of the eighth day. The evening of the
sixth he was walking in the paddock near the hedge, and
he was muttering to himself, " Three days only now, and
be this and be that there goes one of 'em ! " says he in an
angry voice. Well, there was three rogues of servants con-
cerned in the robbery, and one of them was 'padrowlin
[patrolling] in the cabbage-garden the other side of the hedge
the same minute. He never drew rein till he got to the
other fellows, and says he," We're discovered as sure as fate."
Well, they talked and they talked, and didn't know what
to do till next evening, when the second of 'em was close
by the hedge, and what did he hear but the doctor cry out,
*' And there goes the second of 'em ! " . Well, they were
more frightened now than before, and came to the point of
confessing if the doctor knew there was three of 'em. The
next evening the poor man was v,"alking sorrowful enough
in the same place. "Ovoch !" was he saying to himself,
** there was only three evenings of the time left since I took
my walk here to give the thief an opportunity of talking to
me," and then his heart was so bitter he cried out, " Here
is the third of 'em !" " Docthor, docthor," says a voice the
other side of the hedge, " you're a considherate man ; here's
the ring and a guinea-note along with it : .keep our secret."
" You don't deserve it, you unlucky rogue, for delaying so
long. The master 'ud have you in the stone-jug [gaol] to-
morrow only for your late repentance."
Well, the whole family were assembled in the big par-
lour next morning, and the doctor sitting very stately in an
arm-chair. " Who is the robber V says the master. " I
know the robber, and the place he hid the ring," says the
doctor, "but I can only reveal one ; which is it to be V
The master, of course, chose to get his valuable ring. "Well,
then," says he, ''go to the hen-house wherever that is; I don't
know. Put your right hand on the little board that's inside
over the door, and in the middle of it you'll find what you're
in search of." Out went the mistress and the little girl that
minded the fowl, and there the ring was sure enough.
Well, there was great joy, you may depend, and very