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JACK THE SHRIMP. 15 his general place of repose was a hollow rock, called the OTTER'S HOLE; and there he used to eat his lonely meal, and share his straw bed at night, with his faithful dog. I saw him one morning, as usual, poking after shrimps; and was struck by the anxiety and energy of his movements; notwithstanding his seeming employment, he was intensely watching every sail that appeared on the blue waters : when he saw me he rapidly approached.

“The top of the morning to ye, young lady, and may every sunrise increase ye'r happiness. ““Thank ye, Jack; have you caught many shrimps this morning?”

“Yarra no, my lannan sorra a many Ye wouldn't have much company at the big house to day?”

“I believe we expect some friends.”

“Ye wouldn't know their names? “he enquired, looking at me, while his sunken eyes sparkled with feelings which I could not understand.

“Some, Jack, I know Mr. Amble, and Mr. Cawthorne, and father Mike, and the rector. ““Any of the red coat officers from Duncannon, Agra?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Are ye sure?“ he continued, peering earnestly into my face,” Ye wouldn't, sure ye wouldn't tell a lie to poor ould Jack, Miss, darlint, -you, whom he'd go tin pilgrimages to sarve if ye were to die to morrow; -you, who have so often spoken kindly to him, when ye'r voice fell on his ear like the song of a mermaid sure ye wouldn't desave me, mavourneen!”

“Indeed, Jack, there is no reason to deceive you on the subject the matter cannot concern you; but, to make your mind perfectly easy, I will ask the housekeeper; she knows who are expected, and will let you know when you bring the lobsters to the house.”

“God bless ye, and God help ye'r innocent head; sure d'ye think I'm such an ould fool entirely to be bothering myself about what's no business of mine? -may be, like the rest, ye think me a natural?”

His lip curled in bitter scorn as he uttered the last sentence, and his eyes grew brightly dark under the shadow of his beetle brows. After a moment's pause, he continued,” Ax the master himself, dear ax the master if any of the officers are to be wid ye; the housekeeper won't knowthat she won't, just ax the master who's to dine wid ye to day, particular about the officers; but don't, Miss, darlint, don't say I bid ye; ye don't know what harm might come of it if ye did; it might cost me my life: besides, it would bemean ye to turn informer. Now, Miss, machree, young as ye are, ye'r the only one about the big house I'd trust wid that; and so God be wid ye, I depind on your honour. “I was ten years old, and it was a glorious thing to think that a secret, (although I hardly knew in what the secret consisted) was in my keeping, and it was still more glorious to be told that my honour was depended. on. Jack was, moreover, a favourite with the household, and I had never been forbidden to speak to him. Grand mamma, and mamma were, I knew, busied with the house keeper in the preparation of jellies and pastries, in the manufacture of which, adhering to the fashion of the good old times, they themselves assisted, on those days of confusion in country houses, called company days. I was consequently aware that I should hardly see them until dressed for the drawing room. During my conversation with Jack, my biped attendant, Nelly Parrell, had been busily employed in packing up my bathing dress, and locking “the box; “so she knew nothing of Jack's anxiety. I saw the old man watch me attentively, until I ascended the upper cliff on my way home, and then he returned to his occupation. I did not fail to ask my grandfather, at the breakfast table, if he expected any of the officers from Duncannon to dinner that day; the kind man laid down “the Waterford Chronicle,” which he was perusing, and smiling one of those sweet and playful smiles, that tell more than words can do, of peace and cheerfulness, enquired, in his turn, if “my head was beginning to think about officers already. “I was old enough to blush at this; but returned to my point, and was told that none had been invited. Soon after I saw Jack, and little Crab, the one striding, the other trotting down the avenue; as he passed the open casement, he stopped, and I told him that grandpapa did not expect any officers; the old man crossed his forehead, and muttered, as he reverently bowed, and passed to the kitchen offices,” May heaven be ye'r bed at the last, and may ye niver know either sin or sorrow.”

Poor Jack! I have often since thought of his benediction. Dinner was at last over, and dessert fairly placed upon the table, when the feet of one or two horses were heard clattering into the court yard; and, in a few seconds, the servant announced the captain of the detachment of a regiment then quartered at Duncannon; a gentleman who accompanied him, but who was not announced, entered at the same time; he was a gigantic, gloomy, harsh looking man, and when the servant retired, the officer introduced him as Mr. Loffont, the new chief of the Featherd and Duncannon police. This man was universally disliked in the country, and captain Gore knew it well; he in some measure apologised for the intrusion of both, by stating, he had been that morning called upon by Mr. Loffont, to give assistance to the police, in a rencontre with the smugglers, which was that night expected on our side the coast : this was, I believe, unwelcome intelligence to all, but to none more than myself; an undefined dread of some evil that might happen to my poor friend, the shrimpgatherer, took possession of my mind; and to the astonishment of grandmamma, even my pineapple was untasted. I have since learnt, that when the ladies withdrew, captain Gore informed the company that he expected some of his men to meet them at the termination of our oak belting; and, he added,” he was convinced Mr. Herriott would render every assistance to the king's