Nevertheless they said they must search my cart, and bade me help them to unload the straw.
I could not help laughing as I saw them so busy.
"What's the limb laughing at ?" said one angrily.

"Maybe he's not so innocent as he looks." "'Deed, sir," said I, "I was laughing at the soldiers I met at Fahan, who thought I'd got guns under his honour's turnips.

I warrant Mr Gorman won't laugh at that.

Maybe it's guns you're looking for too.
They're easy hid in a load of straw." At this they looked rather abashed, although they thought fit to cuff me for an impudent young dog.

And when the straw was all out, and nothing found underneath, it was not a little hard on me that they left me to put it in again myself, roundly rating one another for the sorry figure they cut.
I was too glad to be rid of them to raise much clamour about the straw, and loaded it back as best I could, wondering if all his Majesty's servants were as wide-awake as the smuggler-catchers of Donegal.
This was my only adventure till about seven o'clock when I sighted the lights of Knockowen, and knew this tedious journey was at an end.
His honour, I was told, was not at home.