Page:While the Billy Boils, 1913.djvu/295

 expressions. He would indeed sometimes remark that our yarns were a caution, but that was all.

We played upon him the most gigantic joke of all during the visit of a certain bricklayer, who came to do some work at the homestead. 'Bricky' was a bit of a phrenologist, and knew enough of physiognomy and human nature to give a pretty fair delineation of character. He also went in for spirit-rapping, greatly to the disgust of the two ancient housekeepers, who declared that they'd have 'no dalins wid him and his divil's worruk.'

The bricklayer was from the first an object of awe to Malachi, who carefully avoided him; but one night we got the butt into a room where the artisan was entertaining the boys with a séance. After the table-rapping, during which Malachi sat with uncovered head and awe-struck expression, we proposed that he should have his 'bumps' told, and before he could make his escape Malachi was seated in a chair in the middle of the room and the bricklayer was running his fingers over his head. I really believe that Malachi's hair bristled between the phrenologist's fingers. Whenever he made a hit his staunch admirer, the 'Donegal,' would exclaim: 'Look at that now!' while the girls tittered and said, 'Just fancy!' and from time to time Malachi would be heard to mutter to himself in a tone of the most intense conviction that, 'without the least mistake it was a caution.' Several times at his work the next day Malachi was observed to rest on his spade while he tilted his hat forward with one hand and felt the back of his head as though he had not been previously aware of its existence.