“Oh, oh, what wid all these cherries to be stoned afore supper I do be wishing we had a ghost like they had at Castle McDermott in the ould days,” said Judy, with an exaggerated sigh. “That was a ghost now…a rale useful, industrious cratur. The odd jobs he’d do ye wudn’t be belaving…stirring the porridge and peeling the pittaties and scouring the brasses…he wasn’t above turning his hand to innything. Sorra the day the ould lord lift a bit av money on the kitchen dresser for him, saying the laborer was worthy av his hire. He niver come agin…his falings having been hurt be the same. Oh, oh, it cost the McDermott the kape av another maid. Ye niver know where ye are whin ye’re daling wid the craturs. Sure and that’s the disadvantage av ghosts. Some wud have been offinded if they hadn’t been thanked. But a ghost like that wud be rale handy once in a while at Silver Bush, wudn’t it now, Cuddles, darlint?”

Luckily Judy did not see Pat and Cuddles exchanging smiles. They had begun to share with each other their amused delight in Judy’s stories, which had replaced the credulity of early childhood. There had been a time when both Pat and Cuddles would have believed implicitly in the industrious McDermott ghost.

“Judy, if that yarn is a gentle hint for me to get busy and help you stone those cherries I’m not going to take it,” said Cuddles with a grin. “I hate sewing and preserving. Pat is the domestic type…I’m not. When I’m here I just like to squat on the grass and listen to you talking. I’ve got my blue dress on and cherry juice stains. Besides, I’ve got pains in my stomach…I really have…every now and then.”

“If ye will ate liddle grane apples ye must put up wid pains in yer stomach,” said Judy, as remorselessly as cause and effect. “Though whin I was a girleen it wasn’t thought rale good manners to talk av yer insides so plain, Cuddles.”

“You keep on calling me Cuddles,” said Cuddles sulkily. “I’ve asked you all to stop it and not one of you will. Away from home I’m Rae…I like that, but here at Silver Bush everybody ‘Cuddles’ me. It’s so…so babyish…now that I’m thirteen.”