“Ah! I always thought she was above her position on board,” he observed to Captain Oliver, who, when he found out who I was, shook me warmly by the hand.
“Well, Ben, recollect I shall keep to my promise, and when your mother can spare you, I will take you with me.”
“I hope we shall see her, Ben,” observed Mr Schank, kindly; “I should like to shake hands with her.” I told him how she felt on the subject.
“Oh!” he said, “that cannot signify. Tell her we shall not half enjoy the evening unless she comes down.” The officers now arrived in the entrance hall, where my uncle and aunt were standing to welcome their guests. Of course they received them with all due honour.
“We’re in a wild part of the country, Captain Oliver and gentlemen, but we will show you, at all events, that we have hospitable intentions, however roughly we may carry them out,” said my uncle.
The great dining-hall was very soon filled, and several adjoining rooms, the guests of inferior quality, of whom there were a good many, making themselves happy in separate parties wherever they could find room to sit down. Among those most active in attending to the wants of the guests, and directing the other serving-men, were Peter Crean and Pat Brady, who was a host in himself, for though second cousin to the bride, he did not at all object to acting the part of a servant. As room was scarce, I was among the picnickers outside. The feast was progressing, when I saw Pat Brady come up to Peter Crean, pulling, for him, a wonderfully long face.
“Faith Peter!” I heard him say, “I do not at all like his looks. There’s a hang-dog expression about him, and to my mind he’s a bailiff in disguise!”
“A what?” exclaimed Peter. “Has one of them vipers ventured into the neighbourhood of Ballyswiggan? Faith, then, it would have been better for him had he never seen this part of the country, for it will never do to let him go boasting that he set his foot in it without being discovered. Where is he?”
“He is just now outside the gate,” answered Pat; “but I told two or three of the boys to keep him talking, and on no account to let him come beyond it. I think they have just got an idea that he will not be altogether a welcome guest.”
“I have no doubt who he is, then,” observed Peter Crean. “I have been expecting him. And, sure, he must not see the master, or he would be spoiling the fun of to-day, and for many a long day afterwards. Here, Pat, you go and talk to him, and I will just make arrangements to receive him.”