Page 161 - The snake's pass

—
A VISIT TO JOYCE. 149
necessary that Dick should see the working on Sunday,
and advise before proceeding further.
As I knew that gossip and the requirements of his
horse would keep Andy away for a little while, I
determined to take advantage of his absence to run up
to the top of the hill, just to make sure that no one
was there. It did not take long to get up, but when I
arrived there was no reward, except in the shape of
a very magnificent view. The weather was evidently
changing, for great clouds seemed to gather from the
west and south, and far away over the distant rim of
the horizon the sky was as dark as night. Still the
clouds were not hurrying as before a storm, and the
gloom did not seem to have come shoreward as yet ; it
was rather a presage of prolonged bad weather than bad
itself. I did not remain long, as I wished to escape
Andy's scrutiny. Indeed, as I descended the hill I began
to think that Andy had become like the " Old Man of the
Sea," and that my own experience seemed likely to rival
that of Sinbad.
When I arrived at the cutting I found Andy already
seated, enjoying his pipe. When he saw me he looked
up with a grin, and said audibly:
" The Good People don't seem to be workin' so 'arly
in the mornin' ! Here he is safe an' sound amongst us."
That was a very long day. Whenever I thought I
could do so, without attracting too much attention, I
strolled to the top of the hill, but only to suffer a new
disappointment.