ST. MARTIN'S EVE. 551 



** Is your name James Rattigan?" enquired Wilson. 



" My mother calls me Jim Rattigan sure enough, but your honour 

 may call me any thing that's plasing to you," answered Green-jacket 

 with the evasive adroitness of his "order." 



" Well, James, I have got a letter for you." 



" A letter, your honour ? " enquired he with an incredulous grin. 

 Wilson put it into his hand; Jim received it with the most ludicrous 

 solemnity ; he first minutely examined one side and then the other, 

 next he peeped into it at both ends, at length he cautiously opened 

 it, but his countenance told that he was completely at fault respecting 

 its contents. 



" Perhaps, Rattigan, as you seem puzzled with your new corre- 

 spondence, you might wish to have that letter read for you," said 

 Wilson. 



" Haith that' s the very thing would be quite agreeable to me, 

 yer honor, seeing that I didn't take to the laming, in the regard of 

 reading cramp handwriting and the like," replied Rattigan, with 

 another twitch at his caubeen. 



" I can tell you beforehand," observed Wilson, " that it is from 



Mr. K of Limerick, requesting you to guide us to the best places 



on the Shannon for meeting fish." 



"Tare anounties!" exclaimed Green-jacket, crumpling up the 

 letter and thrusting it into his breeches pocket, "sure Mr. K. 

 needn't have troubled himself writing at all ; I couldn't misbelieve 

 the word from a gentleman's mouth. If it's a day's sport you want 

 on the Shannon, gentlemen, Jim Rattigan is the boy will show you 

 such illigant divarsion as you never saw the aiqual of since Antony 

 and Clayopathra bobbed for eels in the river Ganges. Clear the 

 door there, you onsignified vagabones, and let the gentlemen pass." 

 With the assistance of Rattigan's shillelah, which speedily made a 

 lane for us through the gaping idlers, we entered the hall of the 

 hotel, where we found awaiting our arrival as unique a specimen of 

 humanity in the person of our host as in our loquacious guide Ratti- 

 gan. He was a stiff-looking man, whose erect carriage, black stock, 

 and shabby blue frock, to which a few remnants of braid still adhered, 

 were confirmation strong that he had served ; but no doubt was suffered 

 to remain- on our minds on this important point, for before we had 

 got into the parlour he had informed us that he had had the honour 

 of serving his Majesty in I forget what regiment; and, if we had 

 not cut his military career short by ordering up a jug of egg flip, he 

 would have entertained us with a history of the Marquis of Corn- 

 wallis and the landing of the French at Killala, to which Mr. Hard- 

 castle's or my Uncle Toby's reminiscences of Prince Eugene and the 

 Siege of Namur were but short and pleasant stories. 



Whilst we were despatching our beverage, Rattigan was engaged 

 putting his boat in order for our aquatic excursion, and in less than 

 half an hour we had embarked on the noble river in a long narrow 

 canoe, for the frail craft which carried the fortunes of Jack Wilson, 

 Jim Rattigan (in whom were united the important duties of captain, 

 pilot, and crew), and my humble self, deserved no better name. 

 The day promised wonders to a practised angler warm but cloudy, 



2 Q 2 



