two o'clock the young wag went out for a few minutes, and immediately
returned in great haste to inform the master, that Mr. Delaney, the
parish priest, and two other gentlemen wished to see him over at the
Cross-Keys, an inn which was kept at a place called the Nine Mile
House, within a few perches of the school. The parish priest, though an
ignorant, insipid old man, was the master's patron, and his slightest
wish a divine law to him. The little despot, forgetting his prey,
instantly repaired to the Cross-Keys, and in his absence, Thady,
together with the larger boys of the school, made M'Evoy acquainted with
the fraud about to be practised on him.

"His intintion," said they, "is to keep you at home to-night, in ordher
to get whatever money you have into his own hands, that he may keep it
safe for you; but if you give him a penny, you may bid farewell to it.
Put it in the curate's hands," added Thady, "or in my father's, an' thin
it'll be safe. At all evints, don't stay wid him this night. He'll take
your money and then turn you off in three or four weeks."

"I didn't intind to give him my money," replied Jemmy; "a schoolmaster I
met on my way here, bid me not to do it. I'll give it to the priest."

"Give it to the curate," said Thady--"wid him it'll be safe; for the
parish priest doesn't like to throuble himself wid anything of the
mind."

This was agreed upon; the boy was prepared against the designs of the
master, and a plan laid down for his future conduct. In the meantime,
the latter re-entered the school in a glow of indignation and
disappointment.