ou can leave him out," said Prisdlla, "and tell me all you know
about the other couple, the ones who lost their boat."

"Them ones," said Jimmy, "has no sense, no more than a baby would have.
Did you hear what they're after paying Flanagan for that old boat of
his?"

"Four pounds a week."

"You'd think," said Jimmy, "that when they'd no more care for their
money than to be throwing it away that way they'd be able to afford
to pay for a roof over their heads and not to be sleeping on the bare
ground with no more than a cotton rag to shelter them. It was last
Friday they came in to Inishbawn looking mighty near as if they'd had
enough of it 'Is there any objection,' says he, 'to our camping on this
island?' 'We'll pay you,' says the lady, 'anything in reason for the use
of the land.' My da was terrible sorry for them, for he could see well
that they weren't ones that was used to hardship; but he told them that
it would be better for them not."

"On account of the rats?"

"Rats! What rats?"

"The rats that have the island very nearly eaten," said Priscilla.

"Sorra the rat ever I saw on Inishbawn, only one that came out in the
boat one day along with a sack of yellow meal my da was bringing home
from the quay; and I killed it myself with the slap of a loy."

"I just thought Peter Walsh was telling me a lie about the rats," said
Priscilla. "But if it wasn't rats will you tell me why your father
wouldn't let them camp on Inishbawn?"

"He said it would be better for them not," said Jimmy, "on account of
there being fever on it, for fear they might catch it and maybe die."

"What fever?"

"I don't rightly know the name of it; but sure my ma is covered thick
with yellow spots the size of a sixpence or bigger; and the young lads
is worse. The cries of them at night would make you turn round on your
bed pitying them."

"Do you expect me to believe all that?" said Priscilla.

"Three times my da was in for the doctor," said Jimmy, "and the
third time he fetched out a powerful fine bottle that he bought in
Brannigan's, but it was no more use to them than water. Is it likely now
that he'd allow a strange lady and a gentleman to come to the island,
and them not knowing? He wouldn't do it for a hundred pounds."

"If you're going on talking that kind of way there's not much use my
asking you any more questions. But I'd like very much to know where
those camping people are now."

"I shouldn't wonder," said Jimmy, "but