Moses looked sceptically at the rotund figure of the Farwell’s cook and doubted the truth of her imperial descent. But the name suddenly struck him as being familiar and he remembered where he had heard it so often.
“Agh, shucks! It isn’t yo’ ancestor, Bridget, at all! They be talkin’ ’bout th’ Charlton’s motor launch—dat’s called ’Ryan affer a bunch ov stars!” declared Moses, complacently.
“Shure, an’ don’ ye’se tink Oi don’ know me own fam’ly histry ov all th’ great men what come from th’ ole sod!” scorned Bridget, turning her broad back disdainfully upon Mose. “An’ don’t Oi know it war afther me great-grand-fayther that Misther Cha’ton named his boat ‘O’ryan’!”
While the controversy lasted between the native of the Sunny South and the descendant of Kings from the Emerald Isle, Paul had the last tassel of inexperience cut from his Woodcrafter’s Badge and took his seat with a sense of having accomplished something worth while.
The Chief then found no other Honours to be claimed so he proceeded to the entertainment of the guests present.
“Are there any Braves eager to challenge each other?” asked he.
“Oh Chief! I challenge Shingebis to a hand-wrestling match!” called Dudley, known in Council as Wahdago.
“I accept, Oh Chief!” replied Billy, quickly.
Then followed a mortal combat (?) between the two equally experienced Braves, until both were red in the face and puffing for wind. In the end, Wahdago lost an opportunity and Shingebis was quick to avail himself of the mistake. Thus the contest ended by awarding Billy the victory.
“Any more challenges?” came from the Chief.