DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 283 



happy company on ocean waves that seemed to joy 

 in the pleasure that they gave, brought a chas- 

 tened spirit, before which the vanity of success 

 was much belittled to make room for humbler 

 thoughts. 



We learned from Pat that he came so often 

 to these rocks and stayed so late that the noises 

 of the night which scared his comrades had for 

 him no terrors. 



"I'm not denying the fairies but it's not meself 

 that fears thim." 



" But, Jennings, what of the old women's souls 

 that wail within the bodies of the seals at 

 night ? " 



"Och! old wimen, is it? Faith, it's old wimen 

 that can hear the same whin the creatures are 

 no more than laughing. It's winking at me they 

 were this same day when they see'd yer honours in 

 me boat and shure it's plaised jintlemen ye are that 

 I am cooking the fish for." 



Until then I had no thought of being hungry and 

 was but half conscious of Pat's doings, but when 

 I looked and saw the fish boiling in a saucepan and 

 the steaming potatoes in the crock, and thought of 

 the little way the heavy craft was making against 

 the tide, I was hungry and did justice to the meal 

 provided. 



In youthful days I much preferred accompanying 

 my father's men when going journeys that were 

 unknown to me to being at school. I once played 

 truant to go for lime and had some of the man's 

 bacon which he cooked on a limestone at the kiln- 

 head. Never, although more than fifty-six years 

 have passed since then, have I eaten bacon that 



