Page:Popular Irish stories.pdf/8

 came to a wood, through which there was a road two miles nearer the town they were going to. The pedlars advised John to accompany them that way, but he refused to go off the high way, telling them, however, he would meet them at a certain house in town. John arrived in safety, and took up his lodging at the appointed place.

While he was taking his supper, an old man came hobbling into the kitchen; and on asking the servant who it was, she told him it was the landlord. John thought on his master's advice, and was coming out, when he met the pedlars, all cut and bleeding, having been robbed and almost murdered in the wood; he advised them not to lodge in that house, for that all was not well, but they disregarded his advice.

John, rather than remain in the house, retired to the stable and laid himself down upon some straw, where he slept soundly for some time. About the middle of the night, he heard two persons coming into the stable, and on listening to their conversation, he discovered that it was the landlady and a man laying a plan to murder the husband. In the morning, John renewed his journey, but he had not proceeded far when he was informed that his former landlord had been murdered, and the two pedlars had been taken up for the crime. John did not mention what he heard to any person, hut determined to save the poor men if it was in his power.

On arriving at home he found his wife and family in good health, and anxiously expecting his arrival. Having related all his adventures from the time of his departure, together with his master's advices, he produced the loaves of bread; hut what was their astonishment when they found the whole wages enclosed in one of the loaves, which his generous master had put there unknown to him. After remaining at home some time, he determined to return to England, in order to attend the trial of the pedlars.

On going into the court, lie saw the two men at the bar, and the woman and the man he had heard in the stable, as prosecutors. Having been permitted to give his evidence, he told the affair so correctly that the man and the woman confessed their guilt, and the poor pedlars were instantly acquitted; they offered to give him any thing he pleased, but John kindly refused accepting any recompense but a few shillings to defray his expenses, alleging at the same time, that he considered it nothing more than his duty. John, before leaving England, resolved to visit his kind old master, and return him thanks for his generosity. As soon as the gentleman heard the object of ins journey, he was so highly pleased at so praiseworthy an action, that he offered him a small farm of land, and promised