“You were the treasurer,” said Dr. O’Grady. “What on earth is a treasurer for if he doesn’t get in the subscriptions?”
“That nephew of yours will have his statue on his hands a bit longer,” said Gallagher.
He still spoke in a tone of satisfaction; but even as he contemplated the extreme disappointment of Doyle’s nephew it occurred to him that there might be a difficulty about paying his own bill for £3. The same thought struck Father McCormack.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “there’s been an unfortunate mistake, but it might be worse.”
“That American fellow has us robbed,” said Gallagher.
“We’ll prosecute him when we catch him,” said Doyle.
“It might be worse,” said Father McCormack. “We haven’t spent very much yet. The dresses for Mary Ellen can hardly have been put in hand yet, so we won’t have to pay for them.”
“There’s my bill,” said Gallagher.
“So there’s only Mr. Gallagher’s little account,” said Father McCormack.
“We’ll have a house-to-house collection,” said Doyle, “till we get the money raised.”