Page 316 - The snake's pass

304 — the snake's pass.
for me to Mr. Caicy, who was to pay to him whatever
portion of the purchase-money of his land he should
require, and whom I asked to give all possible assistance
in whatever matters either he or Norah might desire.
I would have dearly liked to have gone myself with them,
but the purpose and the occasion were such that I could
not think of offering to go. On the day fixed they left
on the long car from Carnaclif. They started in torrents
of rain, but were as well wrapped up as the resources
of Dick and myself would allow.
When they had gone, Dick and I drove over to Knock -
calltecrore. Dick wished to have an interview with Mur-
dock, regarding his giving up possession of the land on
the 27th, as arranged.
We left Andy as usual at the foot of the hill, and went
up to Murdock's house. The door was locked ; and al-
though we knocked several times, we could get no answer.
We came away, therefore, and went up the hill, as
Dick wished me to see where, according to old Moynahan,
was the last place at which the Frenchmen had been seen.
As we went on and turned the brow of the mound, which
lay straight up—for the bog-land lay in a curve round
its southern side—we saw before us two figures at the
edge of the bog. They were those of Murdock and old
Moynahan. When we saw who they were, Dick whis-
pered to me :
" They are at the place to which I changed the mark,
but are still on Joyce's land."
They were working just as Dick and I had worked