They stowed the rabbits under their coats and took the road.
They soon caught on their companions. The cart was drawn to the side of the road, at a little distance the ass was browsing, and Mary had a fire going in the brazier and the potatoes ready for the pot.
Patsy tossed the rabbits to her.
"There you are, my girl," said he, and, with Caeltia, he sank down on the grassy margin of the road and drew out his pipe.
The strange man was sitting beside Art, to whom he was explaining the mechanism of a concertina.
"While we are waiting," said Patsy to him, "you can tell us all the news; tell us what happened to the land and what you're doing on the road; and there is a bit of twist to put in your pipe so that you'll talk well."
Mary broke in:
"Wait a minute now, for I want to hear that story; let yourself help me over with the brazier and we can all sit together."
There was a handle to the bucket and through this they put a long stick and lifted all bodily to the butt of the hedge.
"Now we can sit together," said Mary, "and I can be cooking the food and listening to the story at the same time."