"
"But we don't know it," said Ned; "how was it, Teddy?"
"Why, he set up a still on his property--an' you know Adam owns the
whole townland, jist as Bryan M'Mahon does Ahadarra--an' afther three
or four runnin she gets a bloody scoundrel to inform upon Adam, as if it
was him an' not himself that had the still. Clinton the gauger--may the
devil break his neck at any rate!--an' the redcoats--came and found all
right, Still, Head, and Worm."
"Well," said Bat, "an' how did that ruin him?"
"Why, by the present law," returned Phats, "it's the townland that must
pay the fine. Poor Adam wasn't to say very rich; he had to pay the fine,
however, and now he's a beggar--root an' branch, chick an' child out of
it. Do you undherstand that, Misther Hycy?"
"No," replied Hycy, "you're mistaken; I have recourse to the still,
because I want cash. Honest Jemmy the gentleman has taken the _sthad_
an' won't fork out any longer, so that I must either run a cast or two
every now an' then, or turn clodhopper like himself. So much I say for
your information, Mr. Phats. In the meantime let us see what's to be
done. Here, Ned, is a five-pound note to buy barley; keep a strict
account of this; for I do assure you that I am not a person to be played
on. There's another thirty-shilling note--or stay, I'll make it two
pounds--to enable you to box up the still-house and remove the vessels
and things from Glendearg.
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