IV.
"she was so high up" ([p. 361]).
"Nan will soon be tired," said Ulick; "besides, she does not know where to go."
"Do you?"
Ulick started, for he could see no one. Still he was not surprised, for since the rabbits and fowls and Virginian creeper had begun to talk there was no reason why other things should not also. It must have been some sensible creature; and he began to consider the point.
No, he did not know where the house had gone; he did not suppose that even the top of the tallest chimney would be visible, or even the smoke from it. The house might have gone along the straight road, or have turned to the right or left, he could not tell. And Ulick sat down upon a large moss-covered stone, and felt very despondent.
"What's the matter, little man?" asked his big brother Ben, who happened to come up at the moment. And Ulick told him of his difficulty.
"Oh! if that is all," said big Ben, "I will start you on your journey, for I know which way the house went. I saw it rumbling along the road, and then it turned off to the right and kept a straight line over the country; nothing stopped it, hedges, ditches, or anything else."
And he took Ulick's hand, and went out upon the road with him. Ulick half turned and kissed his hand to his own home.
"What is that for?" asked Ben.
"For 'good-bye,' if I don't come back again. The house might take me away altogether, you know."
Ben laughed.
"Well, then, boy, start off, for there in the distance over the corn-fields you can just see the house. There, there—do you see it—moving along?"
"No—yes—no—yes, yes I do. But what is that?"