the Ulster Volunteer Force in a route march. Jamesey
McKeown had begun to learn wireless telegraphy and was already expert
with flag-signals and the heliograph. Peter Logan, who had married
Sheila Morgan, had been promoted to be a sergeant.... "I suppose
Sheila's a nurse?" Henry said to him the first time he met him.

"She's nursin' a wean, Mr. Henry!" Logan replied, winking heavily.
"We've a couple already, an' there'll be another afore long. She's as
punctual as the clock, Sheila. She's a great woman for fine, healthy
childher!"

"Well, that's what you want, isn't it?" Henry said.

"Aye, you're right, sir. You are, indeed. There's nothin' til beat a lot
of young childher about the house. Will you come an' see the drill?..."

Henry went to see a display in a field just outside Ballymartin. The men
marched and counter-marched, and charged and skirmished, and did
physical drill until they were tired and sweating, while their women
looked on in pride and pleasure. Sheila was there, too, and Henry went
to her and sat beside her while the military manoeuvres took place.
She made no impression on him now ... he saw her simply as a
countrywoman in the family way ... a little blowsy and dishevelled and
red with exertion.

"For dear sake, Henry!" she said in greeting, holding out her hand to
him.

"Well," he said, "when does the war begin?"

"Aw, now," she answered, "don't ask me! Sure, I'm never done coddin'
Peter about it. But it's the grand health, Henry. You'd never believe
the differs it's made to that wee lad, Gebbie, that serves in Dobbin's
shop. I declare to my God, he had a back as roun' as a hoop 'til they
started these Volunteers, but now he's like a ramrod. He's a marvel,
that lad! Teeshie Halpin's taken a notion of him since he straightened
up, an' as sure as you're living she'll have him the minute they can
scrape a few ha'pence thegether to buy a wheen of furniture. Well, if
the Volunteers never does no more nor that, they'll have done well, for
dear knows, Andy Gebbie was an affront to the Almighty, an' him stoopin'
that way!"

"But are they going to fight, Sheila?..."

"Ah, get away with you, man!" said Sheila. "What in the name of all
that's good an' gracious, would they be fightin' for? Sure, they're
lettin' on, to frighten the English out of their wits!" She changed the
talk to more interesting discourse. "I've two childher now," she said.

"So Peter was telling me," he answered.

"A wee boy a