the fine welcome the night," said his granny;
"she'll be thinkin' she's got to her long home."

"They say she's got the gran' clothes," said Gordie, "an' a silk dress
an'a gowld watch an' chain; mebby that's what tuk his fancy."

"If she doesn't luk out he'll be eatin' it," said Patsy. There was a
roar of laughter.

"There's none knows better than yous what he could ate," said Mrs
M'Rea. "Any bite or sup I tuk the woman I sat and seen it in her afore
I come away."

"He's stepped over his brogues this time," said Gordie, "for me uncle
up in Ballynahinch is well acquainted with the woman, an' he sez she's
a heeler, an' no mistake."

"Well, well," said ould Mrs Glover, "I'm sayin' she'll not have her
sorras to seek."

"No; nor Jimmie either," said Mrs M'Rea. "But there, where's the good
a' talkin'? It's the lamentable thing entirely; but they're marriet
now, an' God help both a' them."

"'Deed yis; they're marriet," said Mrs O'Rorke, "an we'll not be
forgettin' it the night. It's tar bar'ls we'll be burnin'--they'll be
expectin' it, to be sure--an' a torchlight procession out to meet them
forby."

"Troth, then, they'll get more than they're expectin'," said Gordie.

"What time did ye say they'd be comin' back the night, Mrs M'Rea?" Mick
asked.

"Ye know we'd like' to come to the welcome," said Jane.

"Och, it'd be late for the likes a' yous," answered Mrs M'Rea. "It'll
be past ten, won't it, Gordie."

"Nearer eleven that ten," said Gordie. "You lave it to us, Miss Jane;
niver fear but they'll get the right good welcome."

Going home they were all very quiet. No one spoke till they came to
the gates. Then Patsy said: "Lull'll niver let us out at that time a'
night."

"We'll just have to dodge her," said Jane; "it'd be the wicked an' the
wrong thing to let ould Jimmie off."

"It'll be the quare fun," said Patsy, dancing round.

"It won't be fun, Patsy; it'll be vengeance," said Jane severely.

"Ye'll take me with ye, won't ye?" Honeybird begged.

"'Deed, we'll take the sowl," said Mick; "but ye'll be powerful tired."

"What do I care about that?" she said. "I just want to hit that bad
ould man."

Lull was surprised to see them go to bed so quietly that night. "Ye
niver know the minds a' childer," they heard her say as they left their
mother's room after they had said good-night. "I made sure they'd be
wantin' to the village to see Jimmie Burke come home." Honeybird
sniggered, but Fly n