"Oh, won't I!" said Margot. "I have feet and I can use them--trot,
trot, trot, trot; look Jacko!"
"You can't trot on the sea, child."
"I'll keep everything safe as safe," repeated Margot. "I'll do every
single thing that you want me to do and you may look out for me
to-morrow week on the pier. I shall know all about Norah and Bridget
and Eileen and Fergus and Bruce and Malachi by then. Oh, shan't I feel
rich and aren't you just the darlingest and best of uncles?"
"Run upstairs now, child, and put on your hat. The cab will be round in
a moment."
Margot disappeared.
"Bless her little heart," murmured the clergyman, "I'll just miss her
terrible, but it stands to reason that she should get to know her own
grandparents and her own uncles and aunts. I suppose I'm doing wrong
but I can't help myself. May God forgive a weak old man. I haven't the
righteous courage of my Priscilla."
Little Margot was a delightful companion in the cab. She was quite
as fascinating in the train, which bore them at last to that part of
the coast where a steamer sped daily from Fishguard to Rosslare. The
old-fashioned trunk was hoisted on the shoulders of a sturdy porter.
From him it disappeared by means of a crane into some unknown and
apparently awful depths.
The Rev. John looked round him anxiously. Was there anyone on board
who would take care of the little girl and put her into the right train
for Kerry? At last he came across a man who undoubtedly hailed from the
Emerald Isle. He had bushy whiskers and small, twinkling grey eyes;
a wide-cut mouth, and no nose to speak of. Uncle John looked at him,
considered him and finally made up his mind to speak to him.
He had hoped to come across a respectable lady of his little darling's
own rank in life, but did not see one. Meanwhile the stranger's eyes
twinkled more than ever and at last he came up to Uncle John and of his
own accord held out a huge paw.
"How bain't I mistook or bain't I not, but be ye never Jacky Mansfield,
son of Farmer Mansfield, bless his sowl? Why he was took years and
years ago. Stroked he was, and the stroke was so mighty it took the
breath out of him, and he didn't live the night out. He's all right,
though--he died a good Christian man. Are ye comin' over to Ireland
thinkin' to see him, John Mansfield? for ye won't, he's not there.
'It's a poor, disthressful country' we 'as in these times, John
Mansfield. You are best out of it. I couldn't help noticin' ye, seein'
as we stole so many wild birds' eggs together."
"Let it be," said the Reverend John. "I'm glad to see ye, Phinias
Maloney. I'm not goin' to Ireland at all, but I want someone very
badly to look after this little maid here. She's my niece in a kind of
fashion and I've had the bringing of her up since her parents died. She
wants to go to Desmondstown. You must remember her mother, Phinias?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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