“Leave un bide where he is so long as he likes,” said he. “Sure he must be havin’ a bit o’ sport. ’Twill do un good.”
Ezekiel sat down by the fire and dozed. From time to time he went to the door to watch the weather. From time to time Aunt Ruth listened for the footfalls of Bagg coming up the path. After a long time she put her work away. 79 The moon was shining through a mist; so she sat at the window, for from there she could see the boy when he rounded the turn to the path. She wished he would come home.
“I’ll go down t’ Topsail’s t’ see what’s t’ be done about the seals,” said Ezekiel.
“Keep a lookout for the b’y,” said she.
Ezekiel was back in half an hour. “Topsail’s gone t’ bed,” said he. “Sure, no one’s goin’ out the night. The wind’s hauled round t’ the west, an’ ’twill blow a gale afore mornin’. The ice is movin’ out slow a’ready. Be that lad out yet?”
“Yes, b’y,” said Ruth, anxiously. “I wisht he’d come home.”
“I––I––wisht he would,” said Ezekiel.
Ruth went to the door and called Bagg by name.
But there was no answer.