"You are but scantily peopled hereabouts," said Harrington, for lack of other converse.
"Why, ay," returned the peasant; "but it matters nought; our living is mostly on the water."
"And it might be with more chance of company than on shore; we saw a woman swimming or diving there not long ago."
"Have ye seen her?" inquired both man and dame with great alacrity.
"Seen whom?" returned the guest.
"The Meer-woman, as we call her."
"We saw a being, but of what nature we are ignorant, float and disappear as suddenly as though she were an inhabitant of yon world of waters."
"Thank mercy! Then she will be here anon."
Curiosity was roused, though it failed in procuring the desired intelligence. She might be half-woman half-fish for aught they knew. She always came from the water, and was very kind to them and the babe. Such was the sum of the information; yet when they spoke of the child there was evidently a sort of mystery and alarm, calculated to awaken suspicion.