Sentence The Threehundredandseventyfifth 

“Hoi, Boy, Ahoy! callooh callay, oh frabjous day,” called Tavish and the boy awoke with a start, looking around himself, reaching out for his paddle and clutching it to his breast, “wit wizzat?” he asked no-one in particular, “'twiz moi, fine boy,” answered Tavish, and the boy's brows met in

puzzled concentration as he tried to ascertain the direction of the voice which had disturbed his slumbers, then, at last spotting the three figures on the further brim from his own position on the north bank, called back, “wit fur?” his voice still thick with sleep as he fought to keep his eyelids raised sufficient to see us, with a complete lack in them of the words which had seemed to imply curiosity, but which may in fact have been one of his two or three stock responses to any call addressed to him, “you ply the Ferry?” asked Tavish, “mebbe, wy?” queried the lad, “izzat, yer coracle?” responded Tavish “mebbe aye, mebbe naw, wha's askin?” and Tavish indicated himself, and the two girls, “oo ur,” the boy stared, “snaw mines,” he at last replied, “oo's en?” came back Tavish, “faither,” the boy muttered, “yer faither?” Tavish prompted, “naw,” laughed the boy, a mischievous grin on his normally placed face, “Faither Beano, siz,” and Tavish grinned back, “an izzee yer faither tae?” and the boy couldn't resist a chuckle, “mebbe aye, mebbe naw, ma mither cannae mind, she's kent that mony,” and Tavish held up a coin, “a penny for yer pocket, nae questions asked, for our exodus from the Abbey precincts must not be delayed,” and the boy gave a wink, “ye'll nae tellum?” and Tavish tossed it across, and quick as a flash the boy caught it, and was already pulling the coracle into the water, “fair dooz, yer worship,” paddling quickly to their bank, “cum oan, quick as ye like, Faither Beano's awa fer his grub and ee likes tae gae ma mither a wee sumpn tae keeper warum,” another wink, “and whit's fer denner?” prompted Tavish, as the girls climbed aboard and he followed, “barley brose, same as yester and same as morra, but guid like, fills ye up,” and Tavish, as the coracle neared the mid-stream, and the coracle rocked in the turbulent water, asked, “an then Faither Beano

fills yer maw?” and the lad chuckled, “oh aye, ur an ony ither wummin ee can get is paws oan, annif thers nane, its ma turn, ees nae fusst,” and as they stepped on to dry land, Tavish turned an gave the boy a groat, saying, “now mind son, this is for yersel, dinnae gie it tae Faither Beano,” and as the boy slipped the coin into his tunic, with a wry grin, “smairn ah get inna quarter, yer Worship, yer a gennelmon,” and Tavish laid his hand on the boy's shoulder, “an wit's yer ain name?” he asked, “Maffew,” he replied, “bit they aw cry me Maffy,” and Tavish spoke seriously for the first time in the

encounter: “well, Matthew, for I feel you warrant your name being given correctly, I am sure you will rise up from this task and will flourish in the Abbey and the Brotherhood, for all the world's a stage, 

as someone will say in years to come, and rest assured that your part is writ and you will play it well, so we thankyou for your safe crossing with us and may St Nicholas, Patron Saint of Boys, protect you and all your passengers, and look kindly upon you and your mother,” and Maffy blushed to his roots and looked as though he was about to burst into tears, so the girls both thanked him also and then all three turned their faces to the hills which bounded their northern horizon and began walking, quickly,

so as to be away before Father Beano returned from his dinner, and Tavish said, I don't know if he is the same person, but a monk called Matthew became Abbot of Melrose in 1246, so I think we might safely assume that is he, as the ages would be about right,” let us hie forward, girls, 'tis no yom tov for us and we have a long way to go, with the help of St Julian the Hospitaller, let's roll 'em out, move 'em on!”