And when Creggan returned early next day there was no change.
There she sat, as she had sat all night long, among the ashes, still swaying to and fro, still plaintively calling for Rory.
"Love of my heart, my Rory, will you never, never come again?"
Ah, but Creggan had glorious news for her. "Cheer up, dear mother," he said, showing her shining gold, "I am going to Portree to bring your Rory back."
And Creggan, with the hermit's money, did buy the foolish lad off, and Rory never left his mother more until she was laid in the quiet churchyard beside the blue and rolling Minch.
CHAPTER IX.
ON BOARD THE GUNBOAT RATTLER.
Creggan Ogg M'Vayne worked very hard indeed to make sure of passing. I am quite certain of one thing, that did any lad study so hard in a city, burning perhaps the midnight oil and sitting in a badly-ventilated, stuffy room, although at the examination he might make quite a good show, still "his face would be sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought". He could not be in good health; and I have known many a boy who, bright in intellect, was too weakly to "pass the doctor", as it is called.
But it was all so very different with Creggan.