"Oh, nonsense," said Nora; "the heart in him was starving." She
flung her arms round the pony's neck, pressed a kiss on his
forehead, and continued to cross the yard with Biddy. Two or three
ragged urchins soon impeded their path; one of them was the
redoubtable Neil, the other Mike.

"Is it to-morrow night you want the boat, Miss Biddy?" said Neil.

Bridget dropped her voice to a whisper.

"Look here, Neil," she said, "mum's the word; you are not to let it
out to a soul. You and Mike shall come with us, and Miss Nora is
coming too."

Neil cast a bashful and admiring glance at handsome Nora, as she
stood very erect by Biddy's side.

"All right, miss," he said.

"At ten o'clock," said Bridget; "have the boat in the cove then, and
we'll be down there and ready."

"But they say, miss, that the Banshee is out on the nights when the
moon is at the full."

"The O'Shanaghgans' Banshee," said Biddy, glancing at Nora, whose face
did not change a muscle, although the brightness and wistfulness in
her eyes were abundantly visible. She was saying to herself: