In the meantime, we must get up an extempore dinner to-day--the set dinner will come in due time, and be a different affair; but at all events some of the neighbors we must have to join us in the jovialities--hurroo!" "Well, George," said she, with her own peculiar smile, "I see you are in one of your moods to-day." "Ay, right enough, the imperative one, my dear." "And, so far as I am concerned, it would not certainly become me to stand in the way of any honor bestowed upon my son Harry; so I perceive you must only have it your own way--I consent." "I don't care a fig whether you do or not.

When matters come to a push, I am always master of my own house, and ever will be so--and you know it.

Good-by, Harry, we will be back in time for dinner, with as many friends as we can pick up on so short notice--hurroo!" He and Charles accordingly went forth to make the necessary preparations, and give due notice of the bonfire, after which they succeeded in securing the attendance of about a dozen guests to partake of the festivity.
Barney, in the meantime, having received his orders for collecting, or, as it was then called, warning in the tenantry to the forthcoming bonfire, proceeded upon his message in high spirits, not on account of the honor it was designed to confer on Woodward, against whom he had already conceived a strong antipathy, in consequence of the resemblance he bore to his mother, but for the sake of the fun and amusement which he purposed to enjoy at it himself.

The first house he went into was a small country cabin, such as a petty farmer of five or six acres at that time occupied.

The door was not of wood, but of wicker-work woven across long wattles and plastered over with clay mortar.