Priscilla's Spies

rolled down the sleeves of her blouse and let her skirt fall about her ankles, but she did not

tuck it into an English comp. the other day and spelt it quite right, but it came back to me with a blue pencil mark under it. Sylvia Courtney said that I hadn't used it in quite the ordinary sense. She thinks she knows,

d Frank, "as if they

e edge of it. The lady stepped out and paddled across the mud towards the Tortoise. Seen at close quarters she was, with

play and unravel her mystery, while I slip off and put a few straight questions

course of diplomatic

y name is Priscilla Lentaigne, and my cous

s Rutherford, Martha Rutherf

s!" sai

ly untrue. There is no sponge fishery in Rosnacree Bay. There never

," she said

it down?" sa

gunwale of the boat, leaving a c

e clocks. I half suspected it would at the time, but Sylvia Courtney insisted on my buyi

why I came over here. I thou

it to you. I'll just step across and speak to

n Priscilla left them, "that your cousi

efect in him reasserted itself now that he was in the pres

nd I'm afraid she's rather fool

dly undertaken the care of Priscilla during the day in order to oblige those ordinarily responsible for her. A curious smi

not standing up," he said

side you if I may," said Miss

cold tongue,

I love col

t out from beneath the thwart

mind th

d--" Frank hesitated. He was an honourable boy. Even at the cost of losing Miss Rutherford

herford. "I should like to more than

t again, and smiled at Frank. He

nished, I'm afraid. But there are some cocoanut creams. I

ade would go with pea soup. Cocoanut creams and tongue

ce of the tin

ctar. Do I drink it out of the tin or must

k. "I believe there's a baile

tin, if it doe

rank, "nothi

n the sea with Priscilla had done a great deal for Frank. Miss Rutherford

ou were just as sceptical as yo

ather su

de of their boats with large stones in their hands to sink them. But I'm not after b

id Frank

use I'm supposed to know something about the zooph

e most int

some very good results. Professor Wilder and

said Frank w

ge you ever saw. I sleep on a sofa in t

Wilder and his wife whose

Miss Benson is doing the lichens, and Mr. Farringdon the moths. They're the only

e been a disappointment to him if the German spies had

his boat gazing placidly at the sea whe

doing here, Ji

Miss?" said Jimmy,

person present is you. No

insella

ere's strangers on board of her, for Miss Priscilla would know better t

et," said Priscilla, "

ng with the

much for myself.

water for the good of her health

ght be that," said Priscilla.

hem would take a sponge with them into the

hought sh

said Jimmy slowly, "and was to

t what I am

f them ones that does be waiting on the Queen

kes you

kin of

izon focussed themselves slowly for nearer objects.

n she took off her s

s of her doesn't look as if she was

all you know

ttled with my da yesterday for the use of the boat,

an who has Flanagan's

but a different ge

la, "and tell me all you know about the ot

than a baby would have. Did you hear what they'r

ounds a

more than a cotton rag to shelter them. It was last Friday they came in to Inishbawn looking mighty near as if they'd had enough of it 'Is there any objection,' says he, 'to our camping on this island?' 'We'll pay you,' s

unt of t

What

e island very nearly e

he boat one day along with a sack of yellow meal my da was bringing

rats," said Priscilla. "But if it wasn't rats will you te

d Jimmy, "on account of there being fever on i

t fe

ellow spots the size of a sixpence or bigger; and the young lads is worse. T

to believe all tha

that he bought in Brannigan's, but it was no more use to them than water. Is it likely now that he'd allow a st

t much use my asking you any more questions. But I'd li

s opened so as you could see the daylight in between every one of them, and it would take a man wit

ntleman is in a boa

s morning my ma was saying to me that it's

our mother was out all over yellow s

lla grinned

e said, "if it was only y

rats nor fever on th

and let his eyes rest with an in

riscilla, "so whatever it is that you have o

ht be," s

the next time I'm out this way I'll land on Inish-bawn and

a queer thing if we wouldn't give you the best of what might be going. But I don't know how it i

xed on Frank Mannix wh

of the bank. Priscilla measured with her eye the distance between the Tor

she found Frank pressing the l

u landed on Inishbawn, that island to the w

, but the boy who's rowing m

d Priscilla

seemed puzzled

s this: did he give you any reaso

for ladies. I didn't take much notice of what he said, for it didn't matter to me where I landed. One of the islan

ck to those sponge

ank, "is collecting zoophy

Miss Rutherford, "for the Royal Dub

t year. If we do I'll write to you for the names of some of the rarer kinds and score off Miss Pennycolt with them. She's the science teach

st delight in scoring off science teachers everywhere. I was taug

finement. As the advancing tide crept inch by inch over the mudbank Jimmy Kinsella was forced back towards the Tortoise. He moved from stone to stone, dragging his boat after him as the water floated her. Never once did he look round or make any attempt to attract the attention of Miss Rutherford. He would no doubt have retreated uncomplaining to the highest point of the bank and sat there till the water reached his waist, clinging to the painter

n't tell you how much obliged to you I am for feeding me. I be

aid Priscilla. "We'd eaten a

e. We ought to have had knives and forks or at least a tumb

erford. "I think you're the tw

utting on her shoes and stockings as the boat rowed away. She

o nicest children! I don't mind of course; but I do call it rather rough on y