gh it is for you, poor body,
but not for me. I promise you I've plenty to think of without being
lonely."

"Like enough," said she with a sigh. "It's when you come home now and
again to the empty house you'll be feeling lonely, and wishing you'd
some kindly soul to mind you, Mike Gallagher."

But my father was not going to allow that he was lonely even then; for
he guessed what it would lead to if he did.

"I'm well enough as I am," said he. "But since you're so lonely, Biddy,
why not get yourself a husband?"

She looked up with her little blinking eyes, and was going to speak.
But my father, fairly scared, went on,--

"It's not for me, who'll never marry more, not if I live to a hundred,
thank God, to advise the likes of you, Biddy. But there's many a likely
man would be glad of you, and I'd give him my blessings with you. You
need company. I don't; leastways none better than my pipe and my
glass."

She turned her face away rather sadly, and sat with her chin on the palm
of her hand, blinking into the fire.

"What about the boys?" she said, not looking up.

"They're rightly," said my father shortly.

She gave a short, grating laugh, and was about to speak again, when
there fell a footstep outside, and his honour looked in.

He had come to see father, who was to sail again to-morrow, and was
fairly taken aback to see what company we had.

Biddy rose and courtesied.

"The top of the morning to your honour," said she. "Faith, I'm proud to
see you looking so well."

"What brought you here, Biddy?" said his honour.

"'Deed, I had a longing to see my friends and the ould country, that's
why."

His honour looked round the cabin. Tim lay asleep curled up in the
corner, and I, wide-awake, sat up and listened to all they said.

"Go down and make fast his honour's boat, Barry," said my father.

I obeyed reluctantly, for I was curious to know what these three had to
say to one another.

I found his honour's boat already fast, and returned as quickly as I
could to the cabin.

Biddy's shrill voice, as I came near, rose above the other two.

"It served your turn, Maurice Gorman," said she. "You know as well as
me one of the two boys is--"

"Whisht!" exclaimed my father; "there he is."

And as I entered the talk suddenly dropped, and I felt quite abashed to
see them all look at me as they did.

"Well, well, Biddy," said his honour presently, "you're a decent woman,
and I'll help you. You shall