“Thank ye kindly but we do be knowing a few things at Silver Bush. Me grandmother did be taching me a charm for warts whin I was a girleen and it works rale well. Goodnight, Mister Tillytuck. I’m hoping yell be warm and slape well.”

“I’ll be in the arms of old Murphy in short order,” assured Mr. Tillytuck.

They heard Cuddles’ laughter floating back through the rain all the way to the granary. Evidently Mr. Tillytuck was amusing her.

“Certainly he is peculiar,” said Pat. “But peculiar people give color to life, don’t they, Judy?”

Cuddles ran in, her face sparkling and radiant from wind and rain.

“Isn’t he a darling? He told me he belonged to one of the best families in Nova Scotia.”

“Av which statement I have me doubts,” said Judy. “I’m thinking he was spaking symbolically, as he sez himself. And it didn’t use to be manners, taking yer story right out av yer mouth as ye heard him do to mesilf. But he sames a good-natured simple sort av cratur and likely we can put up wid him as long as our family animals can.”

“He thinks you’re wonderful, Judy. And he wishes you would call him Josiah.”

“That I’ll not thin. But I’m not saying I won’t be laving off the Mister after a day or two. It’s too much of a strain. Cuddles dear, to-morry I’ll be fixing up a bit av a charm for that liddle wart av yours. I’m knowing it shud av been attinded to long ago but what wid all these comings and goings and hirings it wint out av me head. Oh, oh, I’ll not be having any Mister Tillytuck wid a side-whisker casting up the fam’ly warts to me!”

“I must write Hilary all about him,” laughed Pat. “He would delight in him. Oh, Judy, if Hilary could only drop in some of these November evenings as he used to do things would be perfect. It’s over two years now since he went away and it seems like a hundred. Is there any soup left for Sid, Judy?”

“Loads and lashings av it. Was it to the dance at South Glen he was going?”

“Wherever he went he took Madge Robinson,” said Cuddles. “He’s giving her quite a rush now. All summer it was Sara Russell. I believe Sid is a dreadful flirt.”