green and lichen-covered that lay
between the trunks of two trees--something that eyes less sharp than
the eyes of a child might have mistaken for a boulder.

"Sure, an' faith it's an' ould empty bar'l," said Button, wiping the
sweat from his brow and staring at the thing. "Some ship must have been
wathering here an' forgot it. It'll do for a sate whilst we have
dinner."

He sat down upon it and distributed the bananas to the children, who
sat down on the grass.

The barrel looked such a deserted and neglected thing that his
imagination assumed it to be empty. Empty or full, however, it made an
excellent seat, for it was quarter sunk in the green soft earth, and
immovable.

"If ships has been here, ships will come again," said he, as he munched
his bananas.

"Will daddy's ship come here?" asked Dick.

"Ay, to be sure it will," replied the other, taking out his pipe. "Now
run about and play with the flowers an' lave me alone to smoke a pipe,
and then we'll all go to the top of the hill beyant, and have a look
round us.

"Come 'long, Em!" cried Dick; and the children started off amongst the
trees, Dick pulling at the hanging vine tendrils, and Emmeline plucking
what blossoms she could find within her small reach.

When he had finished his pipe he hallooed, and small voices answered
him from the wood. Then the children came running back, Emmeline
laughing and showing her small white teeth, a large bunch of blossoms
in her hand; Dick flowerless, but carrying what seemed a large green
stone.

"Look at what a funny thing I've found!" he cried; "it's got holes in
it."

"Dhrap it!" shouted Mr Button, springing from the barrel as if someone
had stuck an awl into him. "Where'd you find it? What d'you mane by
touchin' it? Give it here."

He took it gingerly in his hands; it was a lichen-covered skull, with a
great dent in the back of it where it had been cloven by an axe or some
sharp instrument. He hove it as far as he could away amidst the trees.

"What is it, Paddy?" asked Dick, half astonished, half frightened at
the old man's manner.

"It's nothin' good," replied Mr Button.

"There were two others, and I wanted to fetch them," grumbled Dick.

"You lave them alone. Musha! musha! but there's been black doin's here
in days gone by. What is it, Emmeline?"

Emmeline was holding out her bunch of flowers for admiration. He took a
great gaudy blossom--if flowers can ever be called gaudy--and stuck its
stalk i