gintleman you are, and gintlemen don't fight jist because some Jim
Barrows of a fellow says tauntin' words to 'em. You had to kape him off
Andy, but moindin' his impudence to yoursilf is another thing."

For the first time in his life Pat looked unconvinced of his mother's
wisdom, and she went on soothingly, "But sure and I don't belave he'll
be sayin' a word to you, Pat. And anyway you know how many of the
blissid saints and angels was women on the earth, and how it was their
work to kape things clane and pleasant for them they loved. And that
ain't a work to be ashamed of by girl or b'y."

The little boys busily eating had seemed not to notice. Only Mike had
looked on with interest. But into all their hearts had sunk the lesson
that gentlemen did not fight.

"Are we all to be gintlemen?" asked Barney looking up when his plate was
quite empty.

"Ivery wan of you. What should your father's b'ys be but gintlemen and
him the best man as iver lived?"

It was not to be expected that in any place service such as Pat's would
be willingly done without, least of all in Wennott. The more Mrs. Brady
thought of it, the smaller and more unsatisfactory did Saturday appear,
and on Friday morning she went again to the shanty.

"And I hope you're not come to say you've changed your moind about
wantin' Pat to-morrow," said Mrs. O'Callaghan when civil greetings had
been exchanged and Mrs. Brady sat once more in the rocker.