an to wonder why the boys were talking like stage Irishmen;
Georgy, she knew, was idiot enough for anything, but she had to admit
to herself that Larry, also, was rather overdoing it. Christian was
able to feel amused, but she also felt, quite illogically, that what
had been distaste for Tishy Mangan was rapidly deepening into dislike.

The picnic raged on, with prodigious eatings and drinkings, with
capsizings of teapots in full sail, with disastrous slaughterings of
insects (disastrous to plates and tablecloths rather than to the
insects) with facetious doings with heated tea-spoons and pellets of
bread, with, in short, all that Mrs. Mangan and her fellow hostesses
expected of a truly prosperous picnic.

Captain Cloherty, alone, of all the company, failed to contribute his
share to the sum of success. He sat silent, a thing of gloom, the
lively angle of whose waxed, red moustache only accentuated the
downward droop of the mouth beneath it. But the skeleton at the feast
has its uses, if only as a contrast, and Mrs. Mangan, who was more
observant than she appeared to be, noted the gloom with a gratified
eye, and being entirely aware of its cause, said to herself with
satisfaction:

"Ha, ha, me young man!"

This picnic was, in truth, made ever memorable in the circle of Mrs.
Mangan's friends by reason of the triumph of Tishy.

"Ah, that was the day she cot the two birds under the one stone!"
Great-Aunt Cantwell (who did not care for her great-niece) was
accustomed to say. "Well! Such goings-on! And after all, Tishy's
nothing so much out of the way, for all Frankie Mangan thinks the
world should die down before her!"

The two birds referred to were still fluttering round their captor,
when a new element was added to the party in the large presence of
"Frankie Mangan" himself. The Big Doctor approached slowly,
elephant-like in his noiseless, rolling gait, impressive, as is an
elephant, in size, in the feeling he imparted of restrained strength,
of intense intelligence, masked, as in an elephant, with benevolence,
and held watchfully in reserve.

He now advanced upon the scene of festivity with purpose in his
manner.

"Now, ladies! Let me tell you I'm come on a very unpopular errand! To
apply the closure! I think you're all sitting out here long enough for
the time of year. Remember it's only May!"

"We're more likely to remember it's Mayn't!" retorted Mrs. Whelply,
who was a recognised wit, and opponent of the