asked Tony , with great presence of mind , feeling anxious to shift all blame to his broad shoulders . Uncle Ed shook the snow from his hair and clothes , and , poking up the fire , leisurely sat down and took Gus on his knee before he replied , -- `` Serve out the grog , Tom , while I spin my yarn . '' Round went the can of hot coffee , and a few sips brightened up the young folks immensely , so that they listened with great interest to the tale of Pat 's mishaps . `` The scamp was half-seas over when he started , and deserves all he got . In the first place he lost his way , then tumbled overboard , and let the horses go . He floundered after them a mile or two , then lost his bearings in the storm , pitched into a ditch , broke his head , and lay there till found . The fellows carried him to a house off the road , and there he is in a nice state ; for , being his countrymen , they dosed him with whiskey till he was ` quite and aisy , ' and went to sleep , forgetting all about you , the horses , and his distracted mistress at home . The animals were stopped at the cross-roads , and there we found them after a lively cruise round the country . Then we hunted up Pat ; but what with the blow and too many drops of ` the crayther , ' his head was in a muddle , and we could get nothing out of him . So we went home again , and then your mother remembered that you had mentioned stopping here , and we fitted out a new craft and set sail , prepared for a long voyage . Your father was away , so Tom volunteered , and here we are . '' `` A jolly lark ! now let us go home and go to bed , '' proposed Mark , with a gape . `` Is n't it most morning ? '' asked Tony , who had been sleeping like a dormouse . `` Just eleven . Now pack up and let us be off . The storm is over , the moon coming out , and we shall find a good supper waiting for the loved and lost . Bear a hand , Tom , and ship this little duffer , for he 's off again . '' Uncle Ed put Gus into the captain 's arms , and , taking Rita himself , led the way to the sleigh which stood at the door .
In they all bundled , and after making the house safe , off they went , XXXXX that they had had a pretty good time on the whole .
's coming dosed feeling loved pack pitched remembered sat volunteered