Page:The Land of Wonders - O Conaire.pdf/21

 Rh a little bed by themselves. The Burla mur mured "Mammy," but he fell asleep again. Maire Bán never stirred. She was too exhausted after the day.

Then the work began. The big trunks and bags that she had brought had to be opened. She had to tidy and put an appearance on the place. She didn't like the disorder of the captain's cabin—ropes, blocks, fishing-lines and all sorts of things being scattered around. A man isn't much good about a house. She was convinced of this, and if God had not blessed man with a partner he would most certainly have lived in a hole in the earth like the badgers. Would not her husband get a surprise on awakening! The spick-and-span appearance of his cabin! The children to welcome him! And the hot oat cakes ready on the table!

She tacked up four religious pictures from her bedroom at home. She hung a little bottle of holy water over the children's cot. She arranged the delph on the mantel-piece. She placed on the table carefully the old brown mug out of which her husband used to drink the goat's milk. She had much ado to stand up right on account of the motion of the ship, but she set her teeth and went on with her work. She worked with such grim vigour that her double-chin and her narrow neck seemed to grow longer as she moved about on the unstable floor.