THE RIVER-SIDE. 39 



and soon arrived at an eminence from which I was to 

 overlook the promised sheet of water but where was 

 it ? I beheld nothing but a wide stretch of heather, 

 and two or three individuals on its surface cutting 

 moss for fuel. Inquiring of them where the spot lay, 

 they one and all seemed astonished at my query, 

 declared they knew nothing of its existence, and 

 demanded from whom I had received my information. 

 On describing the personal appearance of the man, 

 they broke out into a sort of chuckle, exclaiming, " It 

 was Eory the black liar ! " 



May. And did you chastise the dog ? 



Leister. It would need good leather to take skin 

 from the devil ! But, look you, what a lovely trout 

 Tom Otter is in the act of landing. 



Otter. I have him hooked with my minnow-tackle, 

 and in such a prime stream, no wonder the fish is a 

 good one ; see what a breadth he has, and how unlike 

 the large -headed monster captured a few minutes 

 ago. He wants five inches of its length, and weighs 

 notwithstanding an additional half-pound. He is 



in miniature what I once took in Loch ; but 



I must get him paired speedily from the same pool, 

 and with a fresh bait. Choose me a minnow, May- 

 fly, out of the pitcher. 



May. Here is a large one, and coloured like a 

 rainbow. 



Otter. Toss it away ! Thou art no judge of a 

 dainty bait. I want a small, silvery, spruce-look- 



