By this light the man driving the pig to market (he formed the pattern of the nursery wall-paper) always seemed more alive; and if you got drowsy enough and fixed your eyes on him, you might see all sorts of things in fancy round the bend of the road down which he was driving the pig. All the pictures in the world were nothing compared to this old picture on the wall-paper seen at dusk by the flickering light of the fire. Doris, whose head, according to Miss Kiligrew, was stuffed with “nonsense,” imagined castles and knights in armour and swans floating on lakes round the bend of the road; _why_, goodness only knows, for the man and the pig were the most commonplace figures on earth. Lord Gawdor imagined a market such as took place every month at Castle Knock; he could not imagine, nearly so well as Doris—that is to say, he could only imagine things he had seen. When Patsy arrived with the tea-tray, Doris was seated on the hearthrug reading out of a book of Welsh Fairy Tales. Lord Gawdor was seated opposite to her with his knees up to his chin, and Selina, spotless in a new frock, was curled up asleep in the old armchair, a Noah’s Ark book which she had just dropped lying face downwards on the floor by her side. “I’ve brought you jam,” said Patsy, nodding at a huge pot of plum jam on the tray. “I took it out of the cubberd when Mrs Kinsella’s back was turned. I heard the ould—her ladyship sayin’ to her, ‘You’re not to send them up any jam, Mrs Kinsella, for they’ve misbehaved’ she says.” “Dear me,” said Doris, “what a pity, for now we won’t be able to eat it.” “Why not?” asked Lord Gawdor. “Because grandmamma said we weren’t.” “She only tould Mrs Kinsella not to send it up,” said Patsy; “she didn’t say a word about your not eatin’ it.” “I say,” said Lord Gawdor, when Patsy had withdrawn, speaking with his mouth full of bread and jam, “isn’t Patsy a——” “Brick,” replied Doris; “I should think he was.” -------------- That night Patsy went to bed very well pleased with himself and his new situation. Lady Seagrave, though severe looking, was kind and had taken a fancy to him. He got on very well with old James, the butler, and the other servants; Lord Gawdor, Doris, and Selina had taken to him just as he had taken to them. He had placed his candlestick on the old deal chest of drawers in his bedroom and was in the act of unhooking his jacket, when a light tap at the window-pane drew his attention. A face was peeping at him through the window-pane, a pale face surrounded with long hair. It was the face of Con Cogan. Patsy had during the last few days quite forgotten Con and the housebreaking business; but Con had not forgotten Patsy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER X THE GHOST CARRIAGE