, what did it go do but clap the one of them
into a crevice in the wall, and cover it under a blackberry laif. And
wid that down it squats, and begins sayin', 'Creely-crawly
snail--where's the creely-crawly snail I'm after huntin' out of its
houle?'--lettin' on to be lookin' for somethin' creepin' in the grass.
And a while after it come slinkin' back, when it thought nobody was
mindin', to poke the bit out of the wall where I was gatherin'
dandelions under the bank. So while it was fumblin' about, missin' the
right crevice, sez I, poppin' up, thinkin' to shame it, 'Maybe the
crawly snail's after aitin' it on you,' sez I. 'Och, yis; I seen it,'
sez the spalpeen, as brazen as brass. 'Gimme 'noder bit instid.' There's
a schemin' young rapscallion for you!"

"They're too like their mother altogether to plase me," said Judy Ryan.
"The corners of their eyes do be as sharp as if they were cut out wid a
pair of scissors. Not that I'd mind if they'd e'er a sthrake of
good-nathur in them; but I misdoubt they have. The little girl, now, is
as diff'rint as day and night."

"If _she_ takes after her father, she's a right to want the wit
powerful, misfort'nit little imp," said Mrs. Brian. "For if he isn't a
great stupid gomeral and an ass, just get me one. Why, if he was worth
the dust blowin' along the road, he'd purvint of his own child bein' put
upon."

"Och, they have him _frighted_," said Mrs. Quigley, with scornful
emphasis. "They won't let him take an atom of notice of her, they're
that jealous. Sure, if he gets talkin' to her outside the house there,
one of them 'ill let a bawl and send him off to be carryin' in turf or
wather. I've seen it times and agin."

"If he'd take and sling it about their ears some fine day he'd be doin'
right, and it might larn them to behave themselves," said Judy.

"But the ould man would disgust you," pursued Mrs. Quigley, "wid the
romancin' he has out of him about his son Tom. You'd suppose, to listen
to him, that the omadhawn's aquil never stepped. He'll deive you wid it
till you're fairly bothered. Troth, he thinks the young fellow's doin'
somethin' out of the way if he just walks down the street, and expec's
everybody to stand watchin' him goin' along. It's surprisin' the foolery
there does be in people."

"Och, murdher, women alive!" said Ody Rafferty, whose pipe went out at
this moment, "there's no contintin' yous at all. It's too cute they are,
and too foolish they are. Musha, very b