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"I'm not going for denying to what you say. I'm like the fish at the heel of the trawl-boat the net's closing in on me and I'm caught. The game's up. I did deceave you. I did write those letters myself. I've no Uncle Joe, nor no Auntie Joney neither. My wife's left me. I'm not knowing where she is, or what's becoming of her. I'm done, and I'm for throwing up the sponge."
"No, no, thank you," said Aleck, warmly; "I want to get back home now. I don't want to show Mrs Joney a face like this." "Nay, my lad, she won't mind; and " "Tom Bodger's going to sail my boat home," put in the boy, hastily, "and I shall hang over the side and bathe my face as I go. I say, all of you, I'm sorry I got into this bit of trouble, but it wasn't my fault."
It was old Joney, the shearer, milking her goat, and Kate had stepped on to the roof of her house without knowing it, for the little place was low and opened from the water's edge and leaned against the bank. Philip made some conventional inquiries, and she answered that she had been thirty years there, and had one son living with her, and he was an imbecile.
This being done; the Queen of the Melliah stepped back, feeling Philip's eyes following her, while the oldest woman shearer came forward. "I've a crown-piece, here that's being lying in my pocket long enough, Joney," said Cæsar with an expansive air, and he gave the woman her accustomed dole.
And directly after a big broad fellow detached himself from the rail to sidle up with: "Say, Master Aleck, would you mind asking the cap'n to let me have another little bottle o' them iles he gives me for my showther? It's getting bad again." "You shall have it, Joney," cried Aleck. "Thankye, sir. No hurry, sir. Just put the bottle in yer pocket nex' time you come over, and that'll do."
It's physic as they've got to take when the time comes; and all I've got to say is as I hopes they'll like it." "Well, never mind that now, Tom. What about my boat?" "Oh, I'll see about her at once. I'll stop and take care of her while you go up to the houses on the cliff yonder, and you says as you have had an accident with your boat and you wants Joney to come with a couple o' mates to help.
He would perish; he would die; he was all the family she had left to her wouldn't the master come and save him? "Impossible!" shouted Cæsar. "We've our own missing this fearful night, Joney, and the Lord will protect His children." Was it Kate? She had seen her in the glen "Let me get at that door," said Pete. "But the house will come down," cried Cæsar. "Let it come," said Pete.
She's straight like a lil John the Baptist in the church window' " Pete paused; Philip lifted his pen and waited. "Done already? Man veen, there's no houlding you.... 'Glad to hear you're so happy and comfortable with Uncle Joe and Auntie Joney. Give the pair of them my fond love and best respects. We're getting on beautiful, and I'm as happy as a sandboy.
The postman signified assent with a nod of his peak. "Well, that's rich," said Pete, in a low breath, raising his face as if to invoke the astonishment of the sky itself. "No Uncle Joe?" he repeated, in a tone of blank incredulity. "Ask the man if it's in bed he is. Why," and Pete's eyes opened and closed like a doll's, "he'll be saying there's no Auntie Joney next."
Pete shut the door of the bar-room, and then the wind was heard to swirl through the porch. "When did you see her, Joney, and where?" said the voice of Pete; and the voice of Joney answered him "Goings by my own house at the start of the storm this everin." "I'll come with you go on," said Pete, and Grannie shouted across the bar "Take Cæsar's topcoat over your monkey-jacket."
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