What's the matter with you ?" "Och, shure, it's well Oi knew that it was no christian Oi had wid me this mornin'." "Come on now, or I'll drive on without you," angrily exclaimed Paul, "don't you see that this is only a rubber dress that I put on to protect me from the rain." After considerable persuasion, Andy was induced to remount and they continued through the heavy rain in silence.

Soon after Paul asked: "Andy, how far is it yet to Skibbereen ?" "About fure miles, ye're honor, and Oi wish it was only fure feet," In, added in an audible undertone.
Shortly after the houses on the outskirts of Skibbereen began to appear and Andy brightened up wonderfully and became quite communicative.

He informed Paul that a friend of his had a hotel there and that it was a good one and that he would drive straight to it.
"Con Sullivan kapes the foinest hotel that mon er beast iver shtoped at," he concluded.
There were few on the streets as they drove up to the hotel.

Paul dismounted and taking his suit into the hotel, asked for a private room.
He then inquired of the landlord where the telegraph office was and started for it.

He wrote a telegram, one to the captain of the Queen and one to the English office of the "New York Herald," Fleet Street, London.