olic, came off one Saturday
night, about a fortnight after this; and while the web of strong, coarse
homespun cloth, which was to furnish Mac and his boys with their year's
stock of outer clothing, was being duly lifted, rubbed, banged on a
bench, and twisted by the strong hands of about thirty men and women,
Jim led the roaring choruses, and manipulated his end of the cloth with
a vigor which at once delighted and alarmed the fair weaver thereof.

"In the dancing and whiskey-drinking which followed, Jim was in his
element; and it was nearly midnight before the party broke up, and he
was left alone with the rest of his relative's household.

"'Well, Johnny,' said he, 'you've done the decent thing this time, and
I'm glad my last spree has been at your place, for I'm going to quit
grog for a while. Give me a coal for my pipe, Jane, for it's late, and
I've a good five miles' of beach atween me an' home.'

"'Is the man mad?' said Jane, good-naturedly. 'Surely, John, you'll not
let him out of the house to-night.'

"'No, no, Jim,' said McGrath, getting between him and the door; 'out of
this you don't stir to-night; so sit down, have another drop, and tak' a
quiet night's rest.'

"'Come, John, don't anger or hinder me, for I feel strangely to-night,
and I must go home.'

"'Faith, that's all the more reason I have to keep you here. Come, sit
down, you obstinate fellow, and don't be waking the wife up just before
daybreak, only to let in a man that must be out walking all night.
Confound it, would you hit me, Jim? Sure, now, you're not angered--are
you?'

"'No, I'm not angry; but I'll not be treated like a child, nor lectered,
neither. Let me go, I tell you, or there'll be ill blood between us.
Home I'll go, I tell you!' shouted the excited man. 'Home I'm going,
_although the devil tried to stop me_;' and flinging his cousin aside as
if he were a child, he rushed out of the house, and took a narrow path
which led down to the moonlit sea-beach.

"About an hour after, a despairing cry at the door awakened McGrath and
his wearied household, and, opening it, they found a bruised, bloody,
and literally naked man, lying senseless on the threshold. With some
difficulty they recognized the features of Mountain, and it was broad
daylight before he came to himself. His story was short, but strange.

"'I took the path down to the beach, thinking to wade the narrow run at
Eel Pond, and so save a mile or two of road. It was light a