ipped her into silence.

The convent bell was ringing for Compline when Lull tucked them into
bed, but before the schoolroom clock struck ten they were on their way
to the village. When they got to Jimmie's cottage the crowd was so
great that they could see nothing.

"We'll have no han' in the welcome at all," said Mick.

"An' it's that pitch dark we'll niver see them," said Patsy.

"We'd better be goin' back a bit along the road, an give them the first
welcome," Jane said. "Come on, quick," she added, "an' we can stan' on
the wall, an' paste them with mud as they come by."

"Hould on a minute," said Mick. "I've got a plan: we'll stick my
lantern on the wall, an' shout out they're home; they'll be that drunk
they'll niver know the differs; that'll make them stop, an' we'll get a
good shot at them."

"Troth, we'll do better than that," said Patsy, with a chuckle.
"They'll be blind drunk, I'm tellin' ye, an' it's into the ould pond
we'll be welcomin' them. Yous three can stan' on the wall out a' the
wet, an' me an' Mike'll assist the man an' his wife to step off the
car."

The pond was at the side of the road, not more than a hundred yards
from the village, and the wall ran right through the middle of it. The
children climbed on the wall, and crept along on their hands and knees
till they came to the deepest part. The water was up to the the top of
the wall, so they had to sit with their legs doubled up to keep them
out of the wet.

Soon they heard the wheels of the car coming along the road.

"Now, mind ye all screech at onst," said Patsy as he dropped off the
wall. "Auch! but the water's cowld."

The car came nearer. Jane held up the lantern. "Hurrah, hurrah!" they
shouted; "here ye are at last. Hurrah!"

"This way, this way," Mick shouted; "drive up to the man's own dour."

A stone from Patsy smashed the lamp on the car.

"Begorra, I can't see where I'm goin'," said the driver.

"Ye're all right," Mick shouted; "there's the lamp in the man's windy."

"Home, shweet home," said Jimmie; "no plache like home."

"Hurrah, hurrah!" they shouted as the horse splashed into the pond.

"Jump off, Mister Burke, there's a bit of a puddle by the step," said
Mick.

"Home, shweet home, me darlinsh," said Jimmie; "lemme shisht ye off
kersh."

"Come on, we'll help the wife off," said Mick.

But Jimmie had taken his wife's arm, and as he jumped she jumped too.
Splash they went into the pond, and at the