Page:Riders to the Sea.djvu/34



Coming down.

“There were two men,” says he, “and they rowing round with poteen before the cocks crowed, and the oar of one of them caught the body, and they passing the black cliffs of the north.”

Trying to open the bundle.

Give me a knife, Nora, the string’s perished with the salt water, and there’s a black knot on it you wouldn’t loosen in a week.

Giving her a knife.

I’ve heard tell it was a long way to Donegal.

Cutting the string.

It is surely. There was a man in here a while ago—the man sold us that knife—and he said if you set off walking from the rocks beyond, it would be seven days you’d be in Donegal.

And what time would a man take, and he floating?