KILROY [_takes off hat_]. I never knew you’d a brother a professor. I never heard of him. MRS. S. Oh, indeed, yes. Tim’s a professor. Won’t you sit down? KILROY. Thanks. [_Sits._] JOSEPH. I’ll make myself at home over here. [_Sits on table beside PEGGY and teases her awkwardly._] KILROY. This scoundrel O’Cahan, the bank’s selling him up at last. MRS. S. Yes, the auction’s at eleven o’clock. JOHN. Aye, as Briget says, at eleven o’clock. Allison’s the auctioneer.... MRS. S. Silence, John. [_To KILROY_] He has nothing left to sell but the land. Not a four-footed beast about the house.... PEGGY. Excuse me, Joseph. [_She goes out back._] JOSEPH. Will I go with you, Peggy? [_No answer._] I’ll risk it anyway. [_Goes out back._] MRS. S. [_smelling a rat_]. Joseph’s getting a fine young man. JOHN. Outrageous. KILROY. Between ourselves, Joseph’s a bit of a playboy. No real vice, you know, but reckless and wild and full of animal spirits. I sent him to an agricultural college, but they had to send him home. He was just that wild. He put himself at the head of a band of gentlemen’s sons and half wrecked the college, and then wrecked the town. MRS. S. [_laughs_]. I wouldn’t think a ha’porth of that. Students are full of mischief. JOHN. Aye, as Briget says, full of life. Fine fellows, Mr. Kilroy. Atrocious. KILROY. Now, John Scally, I want no more “mistering.” You and I kneel in the same church, and after myself you’re the best respected people in the parish. Call me James. MRS. S. That’s what I like to hear. No pride or nonsense. KILROY. I’m going over to this auction. What condition’s the place in, John? I haven’t been up to Rush Hill for years. JOHN. The sun never warmed a better place, James. Never. Two hundred acres of land like a carrot-bed. You could sow at Christmas.... KILROY. I know the land’s good. But what about the house? They tell me it’s in ruins.... JOHN. It’s not in very good re---- MRS. S. Silence, John.... The house inside is in ruins, James. O’Cahan had a band of ruffians like himself playing cards there, and last winter they burnt down the stairs and most of the woodwork.... JOHN. For firewood, James. As Briget can tell you. KILROY. Well, to come to the point. The Bank has four thousand pounds against it, and--but this is very private--the Bank wants me to buy it. MRS. S. Buy it, James. Buy it. You’ll never rue the day you bought Rush Hill. Only that we bought a second farm last year, we’d buy it ourselves. JOHN. As Briget says, buy it, James. Buy it. It’s an outrageous fine sate.... MRS. S. Silence, John.... It could be made a fine place, James. KILROY. Well, I’ve a bit of a plan worked out in my head. I’ll submit it to you, Mrs. Scally, for I’ve a deal of faith in your judgment. JOHN. So well you may, James. She’s a head like an almanac.