DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 253 



not so long as I had apprehended, for in Ireland 

 two miles may mean any distance. In this case it 

 meant just two miles, that were quickly got over, 

 and we found ourselves in front of the house we 

 had been so tossed about in reaching. The land- 

 lord came in answer to my knock and I asked him 

 if he could accommodate my son and self with 

 bedrooms for a few days, but I failed to learn 

 whether he understood me as his gaze roamed up 

 and down the little line of donkeys a lengthened 

 time and then with bowed head he disappeared, I 

 presumed for a conference, and we waited until, out 

 of patience, I knocked again. A stout red-faced 

 woman came next, to whom I repeated my wish 

 and, seeing her lips move, I expected a vocal 

 answer, but she only shook her head and then she, 

 too, disappeared. I turned to Pat and asked him if 

 he thought they were really full. He smiled, a very 

 broad smile, and answered : " Divil a doubt of it, 

 yer honour, they're full to the bung." 



"Which way now, Pat? We must apply else- 

 where." 



The answer I got was disconcerting : 



" Begorra, then it's not meself that'll be knowing 

 where that'll be unless yer honours will be for going 

 back to where ye landed and have me cabin and 

 welcome." 



I have no idea how I looked at this but the situa- 

 tion evidently appealed to Harry for he burst out 

 laughing and said, as he shook with it : " It's worth 

 the journey to see your face, dad. It's just lovely." 



Ignoring my son's remarks I said : " Thank you, 

 Pat, for your kind offer but I will get a boat and 

 cross over to the mainland." 



