"Let's send a ghost of Mister M'Rea," said Patsy. But here again there was a difficulty, for Mr M'Rea could only have come from purgatory—and who would have let him out?
"Is there niver a Protestant saint?" said Mick.
"Not a one but King William," said Jane.
"An' he's the very ould boy," Mick shouted, and upstairs they ran to search for suitable clothes. Jane begged to be King William; but by the time she was dressed it was dark, and she was afraid to go alone, so Mick and Patsy went with her.
Honeybird was sent downstairs to the kitchen to wait with Fly till they came back, and if Lull asked where they were she was not to tell. When they dropped out of the dressing-room window into the garden the rain was over. The wind now chased the clouds in wild shapes across the sky, now piled them up to hide the moon. The children crept along the road, terrified that they might meet Sandy M'Glander, the ghost with the wooden leg, or see Raw Head and Bloody Bones ride by on his black horse. When they reached Mrs M'Rea's cottage all was in darkness, but they could hear through the door the crying that had frightened Fly.
"Hide quick yous two," said Jane; "I'm goin' to knock."
There was a yell of terror from inside.
"It's all right, Mrs M'Rea," said Jane; "come out, I want to speak to ye."
"Who are ye?" said Mrs M'Rea.
"Sure, I'm King William, of Glorious, Pious, an' Immortal memory, come to save ye from the divil."