over the divided prey. "Arrah now is it not the greatest pity in life that these young hell birds that look for all the world like the childer of these cramming beef-eating devils the Saxon churls-my heavy curse light upon them all-that these greedy guts should be after swallowing the game that nobody has any right to, but O'Sullivan ; and my sweet mistress and her little ones, all the while starving. Now, it 's I that have a thought in my head, which no living soul but the Virgin herself could have put into it, and its myself knows what I will do." So home Gorrane went, and all day long he was seen busy twisting firmly with all his might, a rope made from the fibres of the bog-fir, and towards evening he took out from his store, his salmon, and gave the greater part to be broiled for supper, and long before the following day-break, Gorrane got up from his bed of heath, and he awoke Phadrig his son, a boy of about fourteen years old: "Phadrig avich get up, come along with me. The boy, light and active,

was beside him in an instant, and out they both started-the father with his wooden rope in his hand. Just as the day was breaking, they came to the brink of the mountain ridge that ascends from the precipitous valley, where the eagles build their nest; and just as they arrived at the verge of the chasm, they saw the old eagles soaring away to meet the sun and to seek for their prey over land and sea. "Phadrig a cushla, look down there," says the father, "look down below, and see that bird's nest-down there you must go by the help of this rope; if you have any regard for the life of the mother that bore you, and of the sweet mistress, for whom we are bound to live or spend our blood and die. You must go down by the help of this rope, and tie these straps that I will give you round the necks of yonder gaping greedy guts; don't choak them for the life of you, but just tie their ugly necks so tight that not one morsel can they swallow." "And now father sure it 's I myself that would desire no better sport than to get down and wring their necks

off, and bring them up to you; but sure father the Lady O'Sullivan must be cruel hungry when she would eat eagles." that would not do at all at all Phadrig jewel, that would be the spoiling without cure of the whole thing-no, my honey, handle them gently, treat the nasty things as if they were your mother's daughters-only do, Phadrig, just as I bid you." "Well, father, mind you hold tight, and I will do your bidding." So Gorrane fastened well the rope about the boy's waist and between his legs, and down he lowered him, in the name of God and all the saints. The youth soon got to the nest

-as he was bid, tightened well the necks of the young eaglets, so that they could not swallow; and then he was safely drawn up. For an hour or two the father and son waited near the nest, and at length were gratified with seeing the old ones come soaring down the wind, one with a rabbit, another with a grouse in his talons, which they deposited in the nest, and after a time flew away.

"Now Phadrig avourneen down with you

again, and to be sure it's I that will hold you tight-gut the game, throw the garbage to the young ones, its right and nathral they should have it, and bring up under your two arms O'Sullivan's rightful property." All this the boy did with address and expedition ; and in this manner were the family in the boolie fed, until the English retreated from the country, and the wife of O'Sullivan and her faithful followers could reach a place of more plenty and security.

In the mean while, O'Sullivan, William. Burke, and O'Connor Kerry had set out on their perilous retreat they took their way through Murdering-glen, and around the foot of Ivelearagh mountains, and through the district of Muskerry. That uncertain turncoat Teige M'Carthy, safe with no man, and true to no party, attacked them in the passage of the Lee, and they lost some of their best men. John Barry of Buttevant, who was neither fish nor flesh, whose blood was bad because there was the English drop in it, a false Irishman because a mixed mongrel, he,

instead of giving them welcome at Liscarrol, turned, churl as he was, the guns of his castle on them and moreover sent out all his men on garrans, to press and prey on them. Still onward they went, leaving to the left the Ballyhoura mountains. They descended into the plains of Limerick.-Here they found for a few days, food for themselves, and pasture for their horses: and then northward they rode, until passing under the Galtee chain, they reached the rich valley of the Suir. O'Sullivan and O'Connor trusted that here, in this very fertile vale, which the Catholic Church had appropriated to herself, and amidst the opulent abbeys that raised their cloistered fronts along its beautiful stream, they would have been refreshed. Thus they stopped at Athassel, but the Saxon spoiler had driven the peaceful dwellers from this splendid monument of the piety of De Burgo, the Red Earl-and they passed on to the Rock of Cashel. But here again was no rest for the hoofs of their horses, for the Lord President had advised, by his scouts,