The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-05-22

with high sides, over which l had to
climb in getting in and out. Ned put
the lamp on the table opposite the look
ing glass and leaned over it. He took
q pin and began to push up the wick.
It was primitive little lamp. have
not seen such since was a boy. There
was usually fat red head on the top
Of the wick, which had to be snuffed
just as we used to snuff the candles.
Jack is out late tonight" he said.
II hope nothing has happened him."
What could happen him?" said
Sam, who was Of more stolid charac-
ter. While saying this he undid the
serpent fastened belt which confined
his wagner. In those days boys wore
loose white blouses gathered round the
waist by belt. We used to call them
wagoners.
II don't know" replied Ned, "but
tits very late. There's papa opening the
hall door and listening. How still the
night isl"
Hes drowned 1 cried from my
truckle bed. 1.-The tidal wave has
caught him as it caught Cody, Phillips
and Moroney last year,
"Hold your tongue, you little ass, and
go to sleep, answered Ned angrily. but
he threw down the window, leaned out
and listened. There was a corncrake
crying somewhere outside. The moon
was shining. I could hear the distant
roar of the sea when it rolled up the
white strand that we called Tramore.
"This is getting bad, sam,'' he said
Hes long after his time"
Sam was in bed, but sitting up and
listening with bright eyes. l heard my
father moving about below stairs cease
lessly from the hall door to the parlo1
and back again and talking with my
mother.
"There's some one coming" said
Ned. The dogs were indeed barking
but not for Jack, that knew we'll.
"Pooh! tits only old Jer."
"Well, Jer," he cried from the win
dow, "where are the fish? Why ism,
Master John with you?''
To these questions there was no au-
dible reply.
Jer was one of my fathers laborers
who worked, or rather deliberately idled
upon the extensive glebe farm which
was attached to the rectory. 1t will b,
remembered that it was Jer whom my
brother told to come to Dhu- Corrig aft
er sunset. Jer made no reply to Ned's
questions. Il heard him scrunching the
gravel as he walked slowly to the hall
door.
what is he saying?" cried.
''Sh!" said Ned, with his head on one
side, listening. The man was saying
something to my father at the hall door
"He says he found the bait box on the
rock, but no rod, and that Jack is not
there, and that he shouted for him ev.
erywhere and got no answer. Get up
Sam; we must go search.''
Sam sprang at once with bound up
on the floor and dressed in haste.
Perhaps he left Dhu-Corrig, he
said, Sin one of the boats going out fol
night fishing"
"Then why did he leave the box of
bait behind him." retorted Ned.
Forgot It," answered Sam, dressing
furiously. The house was by this time
in confusion, with servants rushing to
and fro, ordinations, interrogations
and my fathers voice raised. Then !
heard somewhere the sound of q horn.
The countryside was being called out
to search. I was alone now. Ned and
Sam were far away in the night. From
the window could see many torches
moving swiftly southwest in the direc-
ton of Dhu- Corrig. I heard the faint
est words and most distant noises ow-
ng to the extreme stiffness of the night.
Fear, l suppose, too, made my hearing
Internationally acute. I remained at
he open window a long time till 1 was
iscovered there by my mother, SILVER
lg and coughing, and compelled to re-
arm to bed. She was in tears, though,
'erhaps to comfort me, she said: $50
% sleep, darling. Jack will be here
when you wake in the morning. OF
course he has gone out in one of the
deep sea fishing boats.' 1t was discov-
cred, however, ere long that none Of the
boats which used to go out far from
land had gone out that night owing to
stress OF haymaking.
At last l fell asleep. When | woke
in the morning and sat up, found
my two brothers lying ON the bed
outside the bedclothes fast asleep, bn.
not undressed. l knew from this thu
Jack had not been found. dressed an
went into Jacks room. It was empty
1 then went down stairs. There wer
voices in my fathers study. The doc
was open. l saw my father standin
and my mother sitting down. both yer.
pale and my mother weeping.
1t was still the gray dawn of the day.
My parents not having noticed me, l sci
out for Dhu-C orrig and ran all the way.
The place was crowded with fishermen
and country people, among whom were
several policemen and coast guards in
blue jackets and white trousers. There
were boats off the rock which were be-
ing slowly rowed along. The men III
them were dragging the sea bottom here
with graphing irons. Just then po-
lice orderly rode up on foaming horse.
He received some fresh directions from
Mr.. Watkins, the constabulary officer
of the district, and galloped off again.
Every one indeed was at his wits ends
for it was quite impossible to frame any
theory of the disappearance which
would square with known facts. One
boat had gone Dream fishing the pre-
vious afternoon. The people in it said
that they had seen my brother on the
rock, and that he had hailed them as they
rowed past in cheerful and friendly