daughter, he would be under the clay to-day. I have never put any trust in nurses. Many a time a bad nurse has let a sick person fall into a relapse, on purpose to keep good board and lodging for herself a little while longer. Will you come?" said she.
"Indeed I will, to be sure," said the other woman. "Why should I not?"
"Will Michael come?" said Sive.
"He will, never fear," said the widow.
So they came.
Dermot was full of wonder and amazement when he saw Michael making himself useful, and Sive ordering him about and calling him by his name, saying "Michael, do this; Michael, do that. Come here, Michael, and lift this with me," here, there, and everywhere.
"Praise be for ever to God!" said Dermot in his own mind. "There is no knowing what will happen to us next!"
There was a great gathering at the wedding, but even so, there was more than full and plenty of food and drink provided. Sive and her father did the thing without any stinginess, but hospitably and generously, and nobody present was neglected in any way, you may be sure. When the table was laid you would be delighted to look at it. It was a big, long, broad table, but it was not really one table, but two, placed end to end. At the head of the table, in front of the priest, there was a piece of beef as big and as broad as a half-barrel. As for the dish that was under that piece of meat, there was nothing causing greater wonder to the big tinker than how it could hold such a load without breaking. At the other end of the table, before the curate, there was a quarter of mutton,
