7^ BEGGARS ON HORSEBACK. 



along the ramparts of the glens, and reaching 

 higher levels, came on a vision of a mountain lake 

 dreaming in the early sun. Three or four coots 

 beat a silver path across "it with their black wings, 

 in alarm that testified to the rarity of the June 

 tourist, and the pine-woods round it still held the 

 purple shadows of morning. Out on the bare hills 

 beyond it the heather was in bloom, and the wind's 

 freshness was softened by the scent of it. The 

 Tommies crawled along with well-considered slug- 

 gishness. They had by this time a complete mas- 

 tery of our characters. In the mornings they found 

 that we were too light-hearted to resent their lazi- 

 ness, and in the evenings too humane. This, and 

 the fact that Miss O'Flannigan made from Tom's 

 back a sketch of nothing in particular, may account 

 for our having taken five hours over the twelve 

 miles. However, it may be conceded that they 

 were hilly miles, and were withal as circuitous in 

 their approach of a given point as an Irishman in 

 getting to the focal point of a bargain. Indeed, 

 one turn of the road looked as if it might have 



