before 'em all," she thought. "This is wan of 'em. Pat needs heartenin'
a bit."

Then with an air of authority she said: "Pat, off with your apron!"

The rest were eyes and ears at once as their mother meant they should
be, but Pat only stared in surprise. Some way he felt stupid this
morning.

"Off with your apron," repeated Mrs. O'Callaghan, "and sit you down in
the father's chair. I get the breakfast this mornin'."

With a shamefaced blush Pat obeyed, amid the wondering looks of his
brothers.

"You'll be sayin' farewell to Pat this mornin'," went on the widow, her
glance traveling from one to another. "It's lavin' us he is to go to
Gineral Brady's to live. 'Tis hard toimes we've been havin' and harder's
before us. Pat seen it and he's a-goin' to help. He'll be gettin' his
board and he'll still be goin' to school."

At this Pat started.

"Did you think I'd be willin' for you to lave school, my son?" asked the
mother tenderly.

Then turning to the rest once more, "And it's a dollar a week he'll be
gettin' besides. He's his father's son, and he's got a head older than
his years, or he'd niver 'a' been the brave b'y he is, nor seen nothin'
to be brave about, nayther. And he'll be comin' to visit us when Mrs.