And having watched Jim set out, at a snail's pace and murmuring to himself, Mahony went into the store, and measured and cut off material for the new flag, from two different coloured rolls of stuff.
It was ten o'clock that night before Polly's brother presented himself.
Mahony met him at the door and drew him in: the stove crackled, the room was swept and garnished--he flattered himself that the report on his habitat would be a favourable one.

Ned's appearance gave him a pleasant shock: it was just as if Polly herself, translated into male terms, stood before him.

No need, now, to cudgel his brains for her image! In looking at Ned, he looked again at Polly.

The wide-awake off, the same fine, soft, black hair came to light--here, worn rather long and curly--the same glittering black eyes, ivory-white skin, short, straight nose; and, as he gazed, an offshoot of Mahony's consciousness wondered from what quarter this middle-class English family fetched its dark, un-English strain.
In the beginning he exerted himself to set the lad at ease.

He soon saw, however, that he might spare his pains.