“Striving to sell, I was,” said Margaret; “but could get no price worth while; and besides I hadn’t it in my heart to part those two little calves, unless I got a real good offer for them! But now I’m wishful that I had got shut of them, at any money, and not have to bring them home, and the poor ass gone lame on me!”
“Lame, is she?” said Mickey; and he hobbled over, to have a look at what was wrong; and hard-set he was to stoop to look at the donkey’s feet, he was so stiff.
“She is so, lame, and very lame!” said Marg; “as lame as a duck; I doubt will she ever get home to-night, and then what will I do, at all at all!”
She looked ready to cry.
Heffernan stood and thought; and Moll watched him as if she had her sight, thinking to herself, “If only you’d let me manage the thing for ye!”
But Moll knew when to hold her tongue.
At last, said Heffernan, “If it would be any convaniency to you to leave ass and calves at my place, there a piece up the boreen, until the lameness wears off, sure, why not, and welcome!”
Margaret said nothing for a minute, but while she was thinking what to answer that would be suitable, Moll struck in her word, “Sure, that’s the great plan, all out, of yours, Mr. Heffernan!”
“That ass,” Mickey went on, “will never get the cart and its burden home to-night!”
Marg looked the ass all over, and even led her on a few paces, to see if it was only that she was pretending; for asses have their tricks betimes like that. But it was worse she was by then, scarcely able to keep on her feet at all.