they're drowned. The planks of
that old boat of Flanagan's is opened so as you could see the daylight
in between every one of them, and it would take a man with a can to be
bailing the whole time you'd be going anywhere in her; let alone that
the gentleman----"

"I know what the gentleman is in a boat," said Priscilla.

"And herself is no better. It was only this morning my ma was saying to
me that it's wonderful the little sense them ones has."

"I thought," said Priscilla, "that your mother was out all over yellow
spots. What does she know about them?"

Jimmy Kinsella grinned sheepishly.

"Believe you me, Miss," he said, "if it was only yourself that was in
it----"

"There'd be neither rats nor fever on the island, I suppose."

Jimmy looked towards the _Tortoise_ and let his eyes rest with an
inquiring expression on Frank Mannix.

"That gentleman's ankle is sprained," said Priscilla, "so whatever it is
that you have on your island, you needn't be afraid of him."

"That might be," said Jimmy.

"You can tell your father from me," said Priscilla, "that the next time
I'm out this way I'll land on Inish-bawn and see for myself what it is
that has you all telling lies."

"Any time you come, Miss, you'll be welcome. It's a poor place we have,
surely, but it would be a queer thing if we wouldn't give you the best
of what might be going. But I don't know how it is. There's a powerful
lot of strangers knocking around, people that might be decent or might
not."

His eyes were still fixed on Frank Mannix when Priscilla left him.

The tide was flowing strongly and the water began to cover the lower
parts of the bank. Priscilla measured with her eye the distance between
the _Tortoise_ and the sea. She calculated that she might get off in
about an hour.

When she reached the _Tortoise_ she found Frank pressing the last half
peach on their guest.

"Miss Rutherford," said Priscilla, "have you landed on Inishbawn, that
island to the west of you, behind the corner of Illaunglos?"

"No," she said. "I wanted to, but the boy who's rowing me strongly
advised me not to."

"Rats?" Said Priscilla, "or fever?"

Miss Rutherford seemed puzzled by the inquiry.

"What I mean," said Priscilla, "is this: did he give you any reason for
not landing on the island?"

"As well as I recollect," said Miss Rutherford, "he said something to
the effect that it wasn't a suitable island for ladies. I didn't take
much notice of what he