“But Kate? How's Kate? How's the girl, herself?” said Pete nervously. “Smart uncommon,” said Cæsar. “God bless her!” cried Pete, with a shout that was heard across the street. “We'll pick her up at Crellin's, it's like,” said Cæsar. “What? Crellin's round the corner--Crellin the draper's I Woa! Let me down! The mare's tired, father;” and Pete was over the wheel at a bound. He came out of the shop saying Kate had left word that her father was not to wait for her--she would perhaps be home before him. Amid a crowd of the “mob beg” children of the streets, to whom he showered coppers to be scrambled for, Pete got up again to Cæsar's side, and they set off for Sulby. The wind had risen suddenly, and was hooting down the narrow streets coming up from the harbour. “And Philip? How's Philip?” shouted Pete. “Mr. Christian? Well and hearty, and doing wonders, sir.” “I knew it,” cried Pete, with a resounding laugh. “Going like a flood, and sweeping everything before him,” said Cæsar. “The rising day with him, is it?” said Pete. “I always said he'd be the first man in the island, and he's not going to deceave me neither.” “The young man's been over putting a sight on us times and times--he was up at my Melliah only a week come Wednesday,” said Cæsar. “Man alive!” cried Pete; “him and me are same as brothers.” “Then it wasn't true what they were writing in the letter, sir--that your black boys left you for dead?” “They did that, bad luck to them,” said Pete; “but I was thinking it no sin to disappoint them, though.” “Well, well! lying began with the world, and with the world it will end,” said Cæsar. As they passed Ballywhaine, Pete shouted into Cæsar's ear, above the wind that was roaring in the trees, and scattering the ripening leaves in clouds, “And how's Dross?” “That wastrel? Aw, tearing away, tearing away,” said Cæsar. “Floating on the top of the tide, is he?” shouted Pete. “Maybe so, but the devil is fishing where yonder fellow's swimming,” answered Cæsar. “And the ould man--the Ballawhaine--still above the sod?” bawled Pete behind his hand. “Yes, but failing, failing, failing,” shouted Cæsar. “The world's getting too heavy for the man. Debts here, and debts there, and debts everywhere.” “Not much water in the harbour then, eh?” cried Pete. “No, but down on the rocks already, if it's only myself that knows it,” shouted Cæsar. When they had turned the Sulby Bridge, and come in sight of “The Manx Fairy,” Pete's excitement grew wild, and he leaped up from his seat and shouted above the wind like a man possessed.