ay to it, Teddy."

"I don't know what he'd say to it," responded the Irishman, "but I know
what he threatens to do, for I wrote him the other day tellin' him all
about it, an' he bade my sister Kathleen write back that he's more nor
half a mind to come and superintend the operations."

"What is it all about, Nora?" demanded old Martha, who had been gazing
intently at her husband's countenance during the conversation.

Nora put her pretty lips to her grandmother's ear and gave the desired
information, whereupon the old lady looked solemnly at her spouse, and
laying her hand on the dictionary, said, with strong though quivering
emphasis: "now, John, mark my words, I 'ave a settled conviction that
that light'ouse will come to a bad end. It's sure to be burnt or blow'd
over."

Having given vent to which prophecy, she relapsed into herself and
appeared to ruminate on it with peculiar satisfaction.

"And what's the name of the architect?" demanded John.

"Smeaton," replied Teddy Maroon.

"Never heerd of 'im before," returned John.

"No more did I," said Teddy.

The two friends appeared to find food for meditation in this point of
ignorance, for they fell into a state of silence for a few minutes,
which was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Mr Thomas Potter. He
looked a little wearied as he sat down beside his mother, whose face
lighted up with an expression of intense delight as she said, "Come
away, Tommy, where have you been, my boy?"

"I've been out on the sea, mother, after mischief as usual," replied
Tommy, whose bald head and wrinkled brow repudiated, while his open
hearty smile appeared to justify, the juvenile name.

"What! they 'aven't engaged you on the noo light'ouse, 'ave they?" said
old Martha, in horror.

"No, no, mother, don't fear that," said her son, hastening to relieve
her mind, "but you know the new engineer is gathering information from
all quarters, and he naturally applied to me, because I am of his own
profession and have known and studied the rock since I was a little
boy."

"Know'd an' studied it," exclaimed Martha with more than her wonted
vigour, "ay, an' if you'd said you'd a'most broke your old mother's
heart with it, you'd 'ave said no more than the truth, Tommy. It's a
wonder as that rock hasn't brought me to a prematoor grave. However, it
ain't likely to do so now, an' I'm glad they have not inveigled you into
it, my boy; for it's an awful place for wettin' of your feet