"Father nothin'! He was one of them Pat Rooneys."
"Pat Rooneys? What do you mean?"
"That's what they call 'em!" with an assured nod. "Never knew why they give 'em an Irish name, for they're I-talian dagoes, every man Jack of 'em. Buy kids, they do, or as good as buy 'em, and learn 'em—"
A light broke on the chaplain. "Oh! padrone, you mean!"
"That's what I say. Pat Roney or Rooney: Rooney's a more common name. There's Rooneys every place, I guess, but they're mostly Irish. Well! Now you see, Elder, this kiddo—lemme tell you! Say, kiddo! Where's Puppa?"
"Papagondaiddo!" replied the child, burrowing his head into Pippin's shoulder.
"Where's Mamma?"
"Mammagondaiddo!"
"Want to go back to Pat Rooney?"
The boy screamed, and clung frantically round Pippin's neck, half choking him.