e on the lea of ould Orrisdale, and
we'll lie ashore and take the sun like the goats."

"That reminds me of something," whispered Nelly. "Listen! I've had a
letter from father. It made me cry this morning, but it's all right
now--Ballamooar is to let!"

"Ballamooar!" repeated Davy, but in another voice. "Aw, no, woman, no!
And that reminds _me_ of something."

"What is it," said Nelly.

"I should have been telling you first," said Davy, with downcast head,
and in a tone of humiliation.

"Then what?" whispered Nelly.

"There's never no money at a dirty ould swiper that drinks and gambles
everything. I'm on the ebby tide, Nelly, and my boat is on the rocks
like a taypot. I'm broke, woman, I'm broke."

Nelly laughed lightly. "Do you say so?" she said with mock solemnity.

"It's only an ould shirt I'm bringing you to patch, Nelly," said Davy;
"but here I am, what's left of me, to take me or lave me, and not much
choice either ways."

"Then I take you, sir," said Nelly. "And as for the money," she
whispered in a meaning voice, "I'll take Ballamooar myself and give you
trust."

With a cry of joy Davy caught her to his breast and held her there as
in a vice. "Then kiss me on it again and swear to it," he cried, "Again!
Again! Don't be in a hurry woman! Aw, kissing is mortal hasty work! Take
your time, girl! Once more! Shocking, is it? It's like the bags of the
bees that we were stealing when we were boys! Another! Then half a one,
and I'm done!"

Since they had spoken to Willie Quarrie they had given no further
thought to him, when he stepped forward and said out of the darkness:
"If you plaze, capt'n, Mr. Lovibond was telling me to give you this
lether and this other thing," giving a letter and a book to Davy.

"Hould hard, though; what's doing now?" said Davy, turning them over in
his hand.

"Let us go into the house and look," said Nelly.

But Davy had brought out his matchbox, and was striking a light. "Hould
up my billycock, boy," said he; and in another moment Willie Quarrie was
holding Davy's hat on end to shield from the breeze the burning match
which Nelly held inside of it. Then Davy, bareheaded, proceeded to
examine what Lovibond had sent him.

"A book tied up in a red tape, eh?" said Davy. "Must be the one he
was writing in constant, morning and evening, telling hisself and God
A'mighty what he was doing and wasn't doing, and where he was going to
and when he was going to go. Aw, yes, he always