Page:Darby O'Gill and the Good People by Herminie Templeton Kavanagh (1903).djvu/164

Rh an awful fear in her heart that he had robbed some near neighbour’s cradle.

Well, Barney at once broke into a run so as to get inside the house with the King, and to close the door before the others got there, but as luck would have it, the whole party met upon the threshold and crowded in with him.

“Oh, the little darling; give us a sight of the poor crachure,” says Mrs. Mulligan, laying Patsy on the bed.

“He’s mine first, if you plaze,” says Mrs. Brophy, the proud woman.

“He’s sick,” says Barney—“too sick to be uncovered.”

“Is he too sick to go to church?” broke in Ted Murphy, eagerly, hoping to get rid of his job.

“He is,” says Barney, catching at a chance for delay.

“Then,” says Ted, with joy in his woice, “I’ll run and bring Father Scanlan to the house. I’ll be back with him in tunty minutes,” says he.

Before anyone could stop the gawk, he was flying down the road to the village. Casey felt his bundle shiver. Rh