Next day the time of the small men was out; and Fin went to the strand with them.
“I will pay you your wages to-day,” said Fin. “To each man five gold-pieces. I am willing and glad to give more; for ye were the good servants to me.”
“We want nothing but our wages,” said the small men.
Fin paid each five gold-pieces. He wanted the ship in which he had sailed to the Eastern World, and kept his eye on it.
“Oh,” said Three Sticks, “don’t mind that ship; look at the one beyond.”
Fin turned in the other direction, and saw nothing but water.
“There is no ship there,” said he, turning to Three Sticks.
But Three Sticks and all his comrades were gone. Fin looked out on the water; the ship was gone too. He was sorry for the ship, and sorry for the small men; he would rather have them than all the Fenians of Erin.