Sure now of my prey, I was just about to scream 'Jack!'
when something went splash into the tub at the foot of the
back-stairs.
"In a minute every one was awake and up, for Jack fired his pistol
before he was half out of bed, and roared 'Fire!' so loud it roused
the house. Mother sprung her rattle, aunt rang her bell, Jip barked
like mad, and we all screamed, while from below came up a
regular Irish howl.
"Some one brought a lamp, and we peeped anxiously down, to see
our own stupid Biddy sitting in the tub wringing her hands and
wailing dismally.
" 'Och, murther, and it 's kilt I am! The saints be about us! how iver
did I come forninst this say iv wather, just crapin in quiet afther a
bit iv sthroll wid Mike Mahoney, me own b'y, that 's to marry me
intirely, come Saint Patrick's day nixt.' "We laughed so we could
hardly fish the poor thing up, or listen while she explained that she
had slipped out of her window for a word with Mike, and found it
fastened when she wanted to come back, so she had sat on the
roof, trying to discover the cause of this mysterious barring out, till
she was tired, when she prowled round the house till she found a
cellar window unfastened, after all our care, and got in quite
cleverly, she thought; but the tub was a new arrangement which
she knew nothing about; and when she fell into the 'say,' she was
bewildered and could only howl.
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