Page:The Land of Wonders - O Conaire.pdf/24

 18 He sat down on a box. He looked hard and searchingly at his wife, who was trying to keep her balance on the floor.

"You senseless, silly woman," said he, "you stupid good-for-nothing!" But as neither Maire Bán nor the Burla could follow the rest of his remarks I cannot record them, for I have no other authority for the story but theirs. We may be sure, however, that the Captain did not express much admiration for womankind when he saw the trick his wife had played on him.

"I have a nice oat cake and a bottle of the old black goat's milk for you," said his wife calmly when he had exhausted his vocabulary.

They all sat down to table.

"A man must put up with his fate," said the Captain when he had eaten a goodly portion of the oat cakes, "but that fox's head will have to be pitched into the sea before any of the crew see it. A fox's head in the captain's cabin!"

He laughed. It was easy to see that he liked oat cakes, and his wife was delighted to see that he found them to his taste so far from home.

they were interrupted before the meal was finished.

Maire Bán saw two large feet on the narrow steps. They bore neither boots nor shoes, but