conductor, even if I had been satisfied that those laws were wise and just, and therefore following Feargus as he led the way, I only expressed a hope that the exciseman might never find him out. "Divil a bit," cried he "I could aisily baffle 'em all; if they sat on the stool with yer honour, I could keep it from their grip." "But if they found the passage, what could prevent the discovery ?" I asked. "Jist because the still 'ud be at the bottom of the lake before they could lay hands on it," he replied; "but hould still for a moment, yer honour, while I take this bit of a rock out of the way." As he said this, he put the torch in a hole in the rock, and applied his shoulder to an enormous block that seemed far too ponderous to be moved by the strength of man; for a moment or two he seemed to make no impression, and the huge mass remained motionless. In a short time, however, I perceived a slight vibration, and this was nursed so effectually by the exertions and skill of Feargus, until it soon began to swing to and fro, and by-and-bye was brought to its utmost motion, when he suddenly stepped back and forced a large loose fragment near to its fulcrum underneath, and thus fixed it hanging on one side. When this was done, an opening was left over the top through which we could pass, and clambering up the ragged sides of the passage, we squeezed through and came into a fissure of the rock, along which we had to scramble on our hands and knees. After proceeding in this way for eight or ten yards, we came to a spacious and lofty cavern, into which the daylight came freely from a large and ragged opening at the summit. "We can breathe here more freely," said Feargus, cheerfully; "and may be yer honour 'ud like a drhop of the stuff, in regard that the cave is moist." "And so have whiskey and water," said I, making a poor attempt at a joke, as I felt the cold drops falling on me from the roof of the cave. "Put the fwhiskey in, and keep the water out, and sorra a could ye'll have,” replied Feargus laughing, and at the same time taking a pull at the bottle, an example I was at the time not loath to follow, as the chilly atmosphere of the cavern seemed to wrap rather uncomfortably about me. "But when shall I see the boys you spoke of ?" I asked. we much further to go?" "Have Jist a nate little walk, and then we'll examine the larder up there," he replied, pointing to an opening at one end of the cave, which appeared to me to rise nearly perpendicular, at the same time rising and turning round, as he said, "Step aisy, yer honour, for the road is not quite so convanient." The caution enjoined in this latter direction I found very necessary, for the path lay over broken and loose fragments of rock, which were wet and slippery, and in several places small pools of water had gathered in the holes, while in others a considerable stream ran beside and sometimes over the path. Here and there we had to leap from one piece of rock to another, and in several places I should have found it impossible to get along, had it not been for the effective assistance of my companion. It is true the difficulties of the way were in a great degree compensated by the grandeur and beauty of the scenery; but as my object was of a totally different nature, and my curiosity and anxiety stretched to the highest pitch, I was not disposed to avail myself of what would, at any other time, have afforded me considerable pleasure. "Shall we ever get to the end of this dreary cave?" I asked rather impatiently. "If we hould on the way," coolly replied Feargus, as he continued to stride along; "and yer honour may see it to the fore," he continued, pointing towards a dim, merky-like sort of light, which appeared struggling to enter the further end of the cave. In a few minutes we had proceeded so near to the outlet that the torch was extinguished, as being no longer necessary, and the path being free from obstructions we proceeded the remainder of the journey without danger or difficulty. My first impulse was to rush at once to the mouth of the cave; partly to escape what I had long felt painful, and partly to gratify my curiosity, by seeing what was beyond it. "Whisht! would ye like a bullet through yer head?" said Feargus, holding me back; "better see than be seen. Jist keep close behind, or the boys 'ull persave ye." With thes inous words he stepped cautiously to the cave's mouth, and stooping behind a large piece of broken rock, he beckoned me to follow. Imitating his cautious conduct, I also stooped, and keeping sufficiently within the cavern, I sat down on another fragment of rock, and looked with astonishment on the scene before me. The place where we were appeared an opening in the side of a huge rock, a considerable distance from the bottom, which formed the border of an immense valley, far below us. The valley itself appeared like a vast amphitheatre, surrounded by rocks as steep and inaccessible as the one wherein we tood, having no outlet that I could perceive, except it was through a sort of narrow rent at some distance, where a rapid stream of water seemed darting down its surface below. On one of the highest rocks were the ruins of an old Castle, completely desolate, and near to it was a building partly dilapidated, which had, as I thought, something of a Monastic character. But the rugged grandeur of this singular scene did not strike me with half the surprise as the sight I beheld in the midst of the valley, where a number of men, amounting to fifteen hundred or two thousand, were spread about, and evidently practising some military evolutions. One or two companies were being drilled to walk; others were learning to charge, or to handle their weapons; and the whole group appeared earnestly engaged in learning the art of war. Tents, of an irregular form, were pitched here and there, much in the way I had seen them at fairs, and a few flags were visible, having the harp painted darkly on a white ground. After looking at this singular scene for some time, and in vain endeavouring to guess what it meant, I turned to Feargus, who was watching them very earnestly, and asked, "Who are they?" "These,” he answered seriously, "are the raal boys." (To be continued.) MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD. BY JOHN WESTBY GIBSON. O How pleasant to the spirit, in this wearying world of ours, Are the dear, the lingering memories, of our childhood's vanish'd hours! O there is no time like childhood, with such gushing gladness rife, |