hat considering he's dealing with a
member of his own family he'll let the statue go at no more than the
price of the raw material, not making any charge for the work he's
putting into it. I don't know that we can expect more than that from
him."

"You cannot, of course," said Father McCormack.

"Let's hear the figure," said Gallagher.

"I should say," said the Major, "that L10 would be a liberal offer on
our part."

"Shut up, Major," said Dr. O'Grady. "What do you know about the price of
statues? You wouldn't get a plaster cast of a pet dog for L10."

Doyle smiled amiably.

"There's not a man in Ballymoy," he said, "fonder of a joke than the
Major."

"Let's hear the figure," said Gallagher.

"What he says," said Doyle, "is L81."

Major Kent whistled.

"But I wouldn't wonder," said Doyle, "but you could get him to knock
10s. off that and say L80 10s."

Dr. O'Grady pulled a sheet of paper towards him and began to write
rapidly.

"Statue L80 10s.," he said. "Carriage, say L1 10s. The railway companies
are robbers. Expenses of erection, say L2. You'll let us have any mortar
and cement that are needed for nothing, Doyle; so we'll only have to
pay for labour. I'll superintend the erection without charging a fee.
Illuminated Address, L4. Bouquet L1 is. That's a good deal to give for
a bouquet, but I don't think we'll get a decent one for less. Dresses,
etc., for Mary Ellen--the green stockings will have to be ordered
specially, and so will come to a little money. And we may have to get
that grey tweed dress which Mrs. Ford wants, just to prevent her kicking
up a row. Two dresses, stockings, etc., for Mary Ellen, say L4. That
will include shoes with buckles. She'll have to wear an Irish brooch of
some sort, but we'll probably be able to borrow that. Lunch for the Vice
Regal party on the day of the unveiling--there'll be at least four of
them, say five in case of accidents. That will allow for two aides de
camp and a private secretary. They can't want more. The five of us and
Mr. Billing, who said he'd be back for the ceremony. That makes eleven.
I suppose you could do us really well, Doyle, at 7s. 6d. a head,
including drinks, and there'll have to be three or four bottles of
champagne on the sideboard, just for the look of the thing. We may not
have to open more than one. Eleven times 7s. 6d. makes L4 2s. 6d. What
do you mean to charge us for the printing of the posters, Gallagher?"

"I'll say L3," said Galla