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well, we was just goin’ round in circles to begin wiss,’ explained Hector. ‘Every time tse mist lifted we saw tse same bit of coast one side of us or tse usser. We was keepin’ close in, you see, trying would we creep round tse shore.’
    â€˜Aye,’ Erchy took up the tale, ‘and then I remembered how my father had told me about bein’ caught in the mist on the sea once. He tore up a newspaper he had in the boat and scattered bits of it on the water as he went so he’d know if he was goin‘ in circles. We did the same just. We did that all the way and it got us home here, safe as hell.’
    It sounded like a story I had heard before and ought to have more sense than to believe. ‘Is that true?’ I asked doubtfully.
    â€˜As true as I’m here,’ asserted Erchy, and to this day I do not know whether he was pulling my leg.
    â€˜You didn’t tell us yet how Johnny got on at the dentist’s with his teeths,’ said Behag quietly from the bench where she was sitting patiently with three alert kittens and the irrepressible Fiona all helping her to knit a fair-isle sweater.
    The three men gave a concerted hoot of laughter. ‘You should have been there to see it,’ Erchy said. ‘Johnny went and sat in the chair like a lamb and we didn’t think he was goin’ to give any trouble at all, but the dentist took one look, at him an’ decided he’d best give him gas. That was all right and he took the tooth out after a bit of a struggle, but then he must have taken the gag out too soon or somethin’. Anyway, he had his thumb right inside Johnny’s mouth when suddenly Johnny’s teeths clamps down on it. My, you should have heard that dentist shoutin’. He started swearin’ at his assistant an’ the assistant swore back and told him what a fool he was to his face. He got his thumb out at last, but by God! he was in a state, I can tell you. Then Johnny comes to, an’ feelin’ his bad tooth’s out an’ not hurtin’ him any more, his face lights up and he jumps up from the chair an’ rushes at the dentist shoutin’ “By God! By God!”’ Here they were all overcome with laughter. ‘The poor wee dentist mannie didn’t know Johnny only wanted to shake hands with him and thank him for gettin’ his sore tooth sorted for him,’ resumed Erchy. ‘He was terrified! He thought Johnny was after him to do him some hurt an’ there he was runnin’ round and round the surgery holding his thumb with Johnny chasin’ after him still shoutin’ “By God! By God!” like he always does when he’s excited. “Get him out of here!” the dentist yells at us. Screamin’ he was too. “Get the bugger out of here before he kills me.” Well me and Tom-Tom manages to get hold of Johnny and drag him out. Poor man was that puzzled about it all so I went back an’ told the dentist that Johnny had meant him no harm, it was only that he was wantin’ to thank him.’ Erchy disgorged a mouthful of herring bones on to his plate. ‘Ach, but he wouldn’t listen to me. “Don’t you ever let him inside here again,” says he, “I might never be able to pull another tooth the way my hand is now.” ’
    â€˜Poor man,’ ejaculated Morag half-heartedly, but I did not know to whom she was referring.
    â€˜Did you bring any chickens?’ I asked after a pause.
    â€˜Aye, so we did.’
    â€˜Black Leghorns?’
    â€˜Aye.’
    â€˜Black Leghorns!’ shrilled Morag with an acerbity that was mellowed by the tot of whisky she had just swallowed. ‘Drunk Leghorns more likely!’
    â€˜Drunk?’ I echoed with a smile.
    â€˜Aye, drunk,’ affirmed Morag, lifting the lids of two cardboard boxes near the fire.
    â€˜Aye,’ Erchy started to explain. ‘You see we got them three days ago when