[Ealasaide]

Seamus stood under a large tree at the back of the inn’s yard, gazing hopefully up into the branches for some glimpse of Shimshin. He held up over his head the small bowl of honey that Owen had fetched from the kitchen in the hopes of drawing Shimshin down, but so far the only thing Seamus had drawn was a pair of green-tailed flies. He waved them away. Just then, a small voice broke through his thoughts.

"Mr. Seamus, Mr. Seamus!"

Turning, Seamus smiled in recognition as the older of the two hobbit boys he had asked to keep an eye on Shimshin rushed over to him.

"Me and Nick found Shimshin!” the boy panted. “Nick has him around by the front of the Inn."

Seamus’ grin broadened instantly. “Oh, say, Willy, that’s jolly good,” he answered with enthusiasm. “I knew you fellows were right for the job of watching him! Now... where did you say he is?”

“Nick has him by the front of the inn,” Willy repeated, already breaking back in that direction.

Seamus balanced the dish of honey between a small fork of branches and left it there for the flies and their relations to enjoy. Following Nick, he wiped his fingers on his pocket handkerchief as he walked. “That’s the thing about honey,” he said to no one in particular. “No matter how careful you are, you always end up sticky with it!”

“Yes, sir,” said Willy agreeably. As they rounded the corner of the building, he stopped and pointed toward the front door. “There’s Shimshin now!”

The two of them trotted over to where Nick waited with Shimshin seated comfortably on his shoulder. When he caught sight of Seamus, Shimshin jumped off the little hobbit boy’s shoulder and ran to the tall man, climbing up his long leg, over his jacket, and on to his shoulder. Reaching his accustomed perch on Seamus’ shoulder, Shimshin curled his long tail loosely around the man’s neck. One little hand took a firm hold of Seamus’ ear.

Seamus laughed happily at the greeting. “Well, hello, Shimshin!” he exclaimed, stroking the tip of the monkey’s furry tail with his finger. “I’m glad to see you, too.” Seamus then knelt down so that he might better talk to the two boys.

“You’ve done a jolly good job of keeping an eye on him,” he said. “He hasn’t gotten into any mischief has he?”

Both Nick and Willy shook their heads, but Willy grinned. “Not except for making that big lady faint.”

Seamus looked worried. “I must have missed that. Is she all right, I hope?”

Willy nodded. “Yeah...” he leaned forward, lowering his voice. ”I think she was faking anyway.”

“Oh, well, that’s good.” Seamus let out a breath he had not even realized he was holding. “He’s such a harmless little fellow, but people don’t always know how to react to him.”

“I like him,” said little Nick shyly.

“Well, you, Master Nick, are obviously a brave fellow and a fine judge of character,” Seamus announced kindly, letting his blue eyes twinkle at the little boy. Shimshin made an agreeable chuckling sound from Seamus’ shoulder and leaned forward, taking something out of his mouth as he did so. Whatever it was, he dropped it into Seamus’ shirt pocket. Then, the monkey jumped off of Seamus’ shoulder on to the ground beside Nick, where he sat down, wrapping his tail around his haunches. Just then, the music started again on the podium where Gil and his band had struck up a new version of Star of the County Down. Seamus looked anxiously over at the podium, then back at Shimshin and the two boys. Almost in response, Shimshin climbed back on to little Nick’s shoulder. Seamus hesitated. If he intended to play with the band during the handfasting and the party afterward, he knew he had better get back over there to the podium. On the other hand, he also needed to make sure that Shimshin stayed out of trouble.

“Say...” said Seamus, a new idea occurring to him. “How would you two like a job for the day? I haven’t got much money, but I’ll give you a ha'-penny apiece if you’ll keep an eye on Shimshin for Owen and me. Since you are such fast friends with him already, I shouldn’t think he would be much trouble. It wouldn’t have to be all the time... just while Owen and I are playing out instruments. Would you be interested in doing that?”