Nothing was said for a moment. Then the girl remarked that she had to leave the turkey eggs in at Dungan’s and had half a stone of sugar to buy. She was the best-looking of the girls who went over to the fish sheds, Tom had always considered, even though she had a gangling stance when she stood up. She had bright white teeth and was always pushing her hair out of her eyes. Tom had heard the other girls teasing her about Briscoe, the bank porter.

‘Take care with that fellow,’ the ferryman advised her, and then he started the engines. In the usual way, no further conversation took place until the boat drew in at the quay, where Tom was reminded about the message for Mr O’Hagan. He walked along the quays with the girl, who explained that she had to go slowly in case she’d swing the basket and break one of the turkey eggs. ‘I always wanted to ask you, Tom, only I couldn’t because I wasn’t alone with you. Does it feel like you’d be different?’

‘I don’t think it does,’ he said.

‘But if you would think about it, Tom? Would you feel different in yourself if you would think about it?’

‘You don’t feel anything at all.’

The girl lowered her voice, ‘I once said a prayer for you, Tom.’

‘There’s no need for that.’

‘Ah sure, I’d say a prayer for anyone. Sure, what does it cost me?’ She turned into Dungan’s grocery and Tom walked on. He felt in his pocket for the ten-shilling note and the extra coins. All the way over on the ferry and on his walk with the girl he’d been able to feel the corner of the envelope sticking into him in his other pocket. ‘Hullo, Mr O’Hagan,’ he said in the post office, and the post-office clerk regarded him as though he’d never seen him before. Nor did his expression change when eventually he spoke. ‘Are you all right for yourself?’

‘I am, Mr O’Hagan. I want a postal order for fifteen shillings.’

‘I don’t know have I one.’

‘The ferryman says hold back off Drummer’s Lady.’

Mr O’Hagan immediately ceased his search for the postal order. He looked hard at Tom, as though suspecting him of trickery. His face had lost some of its colour.

‘Was it Butt Nolan told him that?’

‘It was.’

‘Did he mention anything else? Did he refer to Mister Fun?’

‘He didn’t.’

‘I have money placed on Drummer’s Lady. Isn’t Nolan slow off the line on that one? Now, listen to me, young fellow. Go into Byrne’s and ask for Mr O’Hagan’s two shillings to be transferred off Drummer’s Lady on to Mister Fun. Will you remember those names now? Say them over to me.’