door, and
Tommy Wilson was peeping into the sty through a knot-hole on the side. I
took my turn at the hole. Hughie had evidently been awakened early. He
was sitting arranging his pockets. Con Mulholland came down the entry
with his gun over his shoulder. He had just returned from his vigil as
night watchman at the Greens and was going the longest way around to his
home.

He leaned his gun against the house side and lit his pipe. Then he
opened the sty door, softly, and said:

"Morra, Hughie."

"Morra, Con," came the answer, in calliope tones from our guest.

"Haave ye a good stock ov tubacca?" Con asked Hughie.

"I cud shtart a pipe shap, Con, fur be th' first strake ov dawn I found
five new pipes an' five half ounces ov tubacca inside th' doore ov th'
sty!"

"Take this bit too. Avic, ye don't come ofen," and he gave him a small
package and took his departure.

Eliza Conlon brought a cup of tea. Without even looking in, she pushed
the little door ajar, laid it just inside, and went away without a word.
Mulholland and Hainey seemed supremely concerned about the weather. From
all they said it was quite evident that each of them had "jist dhrapped
aroun' t' find out what Jamie thought ov th' prospects fur a fine day!"
Old Sandy Somerville came hatless and in his shirt-sleeves, his hands
deep in his pockets and his big watchchain dangling across what Anna
called the "front of his back." Sandy was some quality, too, and owned
three houses.

"Did aany o' ye see my big orange cat?" he asked the callers. Without
waiting for an answer he opened the door of the pigsty and peeped in.

By the time Hughie scrambled out there were a dozen men, women and boys
around the sty. As the beggar-man struggled up through his freight to
his feet the eyes of the crowd were scrutinizing him. Sandy shook hands
with him and wished him a pleasant journey.

Hainey hoped he would live long and prosper. As he expressed the hope he
furtively stuffed into one of Hughie's pockets a small package.

Anna came out and led Hughie into the house for breakfast. The little
crowd moved toward the door. On the doorstep she turned around and said:
"Hughie's goin' t' haave a cup an' a slice an' go. Ye can all see him in
a few minutes. Excuse me if I shut the doore, but Jamie's givin' the
thrush its mornin' bath an' it might fly out."

She gently closed the door and we were again alone with the guest.

"The luck ov God is m' portion here," he said,