oung gentleman?" he said, "the one that has the
sore leg?"

"He doesn't want to set foot on Inishbawn," said Priscilla.

"And the young lady," said Joseph Antony, "that does be taking the water
in the little boat along with Jimmy?"

"She'll let Jimmy row her off to any corner of the bay you like," said
Priscilla, "if you'll allow the other two to land."

Joseph Antony looked at Mr. Pennefather again.

"I wouldn't say there was much harm in him," he said.

"There's none," said Priscilla, "absolutely none. Isn't he paying L4 a
week for that old boat of Flanagan's. Doesn't that show you the kind of
man he is?"

"Unless," said Joseph Antony, "it could be that he's signed the pledge
for life."

"Have you signed the pledge for life, Barnabas?" said Priscilla. "Let go
of her hand for one minute and answer the question that's asked you."

"Does he mean a temperance pledge?" said Mr. Pennefather.

"I do," said Joseph Antony. "Are you a member of the Total Abstinence
Sodality?"

"I take a little whisky after my work on Sunday evenings," said Mr.
Pennefather, "and, of course, when I'm dining out I----"

"That'll do," said Joseph Antony. "A man that takes it one time will
take it another. I suppose now you're not any ways connected with the
police?"

"He is not," said Priscilla. "Can't you see he's a clergyman?"

"It's beyond me," said Joseph Antony, "what brings you to Inishbawn at
all."

"The way things are with you at present," said Priscilla, "it wouldn't
be a bad thing to have a clergyman staying with you on the island. It
would look respectable."

"It would, of course," said Joseph Antony.

"If any question ever came to be asked," said Priscilla, "about what's
going on here, it would be a grand thing for you to be able to say that
you had the Rev. Barnabas Pennefather stopping along with you."

"It would surely," said Joseph Antony.

Priscilla jumped out of the boat and drew Kinsella a little way up the
beach.

"If anything was to come out," she whispered, "you could say that it was
the strange clergyman and that you didn't know what was going on."

"I might," said Joseph Antony.

Priscilla turned to the boat joyfully.

"Hop out, Barnabas," she shouted, "and take the tents and things with
you. It's all settled. Joseph Antony will give you the run of his island
and you'll be perfectly safe."

Mr. Pennefather climbed over the bows of the _Tortoise_.

Lady Isabel tugged at the hold-all, which was