of it that looked that way out of his eye. It's a sort of 'do it I will,
and let them stop me that can' look, Moike dear. Not that anybody wants
to stop you, and it's an ilegant look, too, as I've often seen on your
father's face when he had a hard job ahead of him."

By this time Mike was ready for anything. He really knew more than his
mother gave him credit for, having furtively watched Pat more than once.

"Well, well, Moike!" exclaimed Mrs. O'Callaghan when the last bed was
made. "That's a sight better as Pat's first try at bed-makin'. If he was
here he'd say that wasn't so bad nayther, and it's yoursilf as knows
Pat's an ilegant bed-maker. If you'd seen him astonishin' Mrs. Gineral
Brady you'd 'a' seen a sight now. I was proud that day."

Mike smiled with satisfaction and reached for the broom. His mother said
nothing, but not a move escaped her critical eye. As far as the beds
could be moved, they were moved, and around them and under them went
Mike's busy broom. Mike was warm-blooded, and it was a pretty red-faced
boy that stood at last before his mother with the dustpan in his hand.
There was strong approval on the little woman's face.

"Pat himsilf couldn't 'a' beat that. It's my belafe you've got a gift
for swapin'," she said. "I can leave home to go to my washin' with an
aisy mind, I see, and with no fears of chance callers foindin' dirty
floors and mussy-lookin' beds a-disgracin' me. If widows is iver lucky,
which I doubt, Moike, I'm lucky this far. I've got some wonderful foine
sons, so I have."

Mike, at this, beamed with the consciousness that he was one of the sons
and a fully appreciated one, too. A long time he had stood in the shadow