an your father, girl.
And she'll be glad to see you any time, little girl--or the daughter
of any fisherman lost at sea. If ever you have a blue day, go to her,
for 'tis she has the heart--and, God bless her, an extra weakness for
orphans. Her own children some day--there's no telling. But good-night
to you, dear"--he patted her head--"good-night all. Wesley, Tommie,
Patsie--all of ye, good-night. In the morning we'll have it out." Out
the door he went, and I fancied there was almost a blush on Minnie
Arkell's face.

Tom O'Donnell was the kind of a man a fellow would like to have for a
father.

XXIX

MAURICE BLAKE COMES HOME

From Mrs. Arkell's we walked back to Clancy's boarding house. Clancy
wanted to see how they made out with the punch. We found several of
them up in the wind, and so no great danger of them. But two or three
of them, Dave Campbell particularly, were running wild. "Boomed out
and driving," said Clancy, and began to remonstrate with Dave on the
evils of intemperance. He went on quite awhile, but Dave showed no
signs of remorse. "Wait and I'll fix him," said Clancy, and obeying a
motioning with his head two or three of the sober ones followed him
out.

He led the way to the wood-shed next door where there was a goat, and
the goat we carried up three flights of stairs to Campbell's room. He
was a big, able goat, and we had quite a time to get him up stairs. At
last we got him tied to the post of Campbell's bed. Then we went down
stairs to the kitchen and Clancy persuaded Campbell to go up stairs to
bed, which after awhile he did. It was not yet morning and there was
no light in the bedroom. We took our position on the landing outside
where we could hear everything that went on in Campbell's room, which
was just at the head of the stairs.

Dave went in and we could hear him falling over something in the dark.
"What's it?" we could hear him, and acting as if he was feeling
around. Taking off our shoes we crawled nearer. We could barely make
out his shadow in the dark, but we could easily hear him talking to
himself. "What's it? Eh, what?" He must have been feeling the horns
then, and the goat must have butted him. Again, and once more, for out
the door and down the stairs went Dave. We ran in and cut the goat
loose and down he went after Dave. The whole three flights they
raced.

"He's got me at last," hollered Dave, bolting into the kitchen,
slamming the door behind him and bracing him