Gerry burst out crying, and even Bridget owned that she had come to the end of her resources.
"Don't talk to me, either of you," she said; "I am more persuaded than ever that Norah and Donovan are at the bottom of this. There is nothing for it now but to go home."
"How dare we?" said Pat. "Uncle Dennis will almost kill Gerry and me if he knows of this."
"We must go home, boys; we must face the thing. We had better step out now as fast as we can, or the servants will be up."
"I can't tell Uncle Dennis of this," said Pat; "I simply can't."
"Don't say whether you can or cannot now," said Bridget; "let us go back as quickly as possible."
CHAPTER XXVII. "SPEAK OUT!"
Squire O'Hara was the first of the family to put in an appearance the next morning at the breakfast table. He looked round him somewhat impatiently. He did not count Miss Macnamara, nor old Captain Shand, nor one or two more of the visitors, as anybody. When they came in he simply nodded to them, but his impatient eyes looked eagerly at the vacant places which his own family ought to occupy.