It
always takes a long time for water to boil, and it seemed to all of
them as if it took hours for this water to boil. While they were
waiting not one of them spoke and they scarcely moved. Terence was all
but holding his breath, and his eyes, red and staring, were now upon
Mrs. O'Brien and now upon Ellen, and never at rest. Kathleen looked at
Terence and clutched the little crucifix in her hand. But she need not
have been afraid of Terence; he knew the crucifix as well as he cared
to know it.
After a long time the water boiled. Mrs. O'Brien waited till it was
boiling as hard as ever it could, and then she whispered to Ellen:
"Break the eggs now; keep the shells and throw away the rest."
Poor Ellen could not guess what it all meant, but she broke the eggs,
laid the shells carefully aside, and threw away the rest.
"Now," said Mrs. O'Brien, "put the shells in the pot."
Ellen did as she was told.
"What are you doing, mother?" Terence called from his corner.
"Tell him you are brewing," Mrs. O'Brien whispered.
"I'm brewing, Terence," said Ellen, scarcely loud enough to be heard.
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