The carts stopped on the road, and the men taking their tools began leisurely to descend through the little wood into the bed of the river.
"Now then, steady!" said Murtagh. "I'll talk to them first." He advanced as he spoke along the little path, and standing at the edge of the river he called out in a loud firm voice to know what they wanted.
The men were evidently somewhat discomfited at finding the island already occupied, and Hickey replied evasively, "Sure, Mr. Murtagh, we didn't expect to find you up here."
"What do you want here?" repeated Murtagh.
"Well, Mr. Plunkett's sent us for a load o' them stones, and you know orders is orders, so you'll let us have them quiet, like a good young gentleman, won't you, now? Ye've had yer bit o' play yesterday evenin', and there's no gettin' on with work when ye're hindered that way!"
"I told you yesterday that you shouldn't touch our hut," replied Murtagh, "and you shan't! Mr. Plunkett may get his stones from the quarry."
"It's no good standin' blathering here!" exclaimed Phelim, roughly. "We've got to have the stones, and there's an end of it! Come on, Hickey. We got the measure of Mr. Plunkett's tongue last night, and I don't want no more of it!"
"Take that for your impudence!" cried Bobbo, who without waiting for more snatched a stick from the heap of missiles and flung it at Phelim's head.
The stick flew harmlessly past, but a shout from the other children echoed Bobbo's words, and a rapid volley of mud-balls, sticks, and clods of earth saluted the onward advance of the men. So true was the aim, and so hard and fast did the children pelt, that Hickey and Phelim ran for shelter round the point of the island, and tried to effect a landing on the other side.
But on the other side the water was deeper, and the only standing-room was on a belt of shingle close to the shore of the island. The children knew this well, and when the men emerged upon it from behind the protecting screen of bushes they were greeted with such a shower of missiles, that Phelim, whose courage had been considerably undermined by the sound of Royal's excited barking, turned and fled blindly into the water.