"
"If you can tell me anything about my dog," said the tanner, "I will
freely forgive you for pulling down the rick: especially as you have
built it up again. Speak the truth, now: did not O'Neill make away with
the dog?"
"Not at all, at all, plase your honour," replied the haymaker: "and the
truth of the matter is, I know nothing of the dog, good or bad; but I
know something of his collar, if your name, plase your honour, is Hill,
as I take it to be."
"My name is Hill: proceed," said the tanner, with great eagerness. "You
know something about the collar of my dog Jowler?"
"Plase your honour, this much I know, any way, that it is now, or was the
night before last, at the pawnbroker's there, below in town; for, plase
your honour, I was sent late at night (that night that Mr. O'Neill, long
life to him! was arrested) to the pawnbroker's for a Jew by Mrs. O'Neill,
poor creature! She was in great trouble that same time."
"Very likely," interrupted Mr. Hill: "but go on to the collar; what of
the collar?"
"She sent me--I'll tell you the story, plase your honour, _out of the
face_--she sent me to the pawnbroker's for the Jew; and, it being so late
at night, the shop was shut, and it was with all the trouble in life that
I got into the house any way: and, when I got in, there was none but a
slip of a boy up; and he set down the light that he had in his hand, and
ran up the stairs to waken his master: and, whilst he was gone, I just
made bold to look round at what sort of a place I was in, and at the old
clothes and rags and scraps; there was a sort of a frieze trusty.
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