302 WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



The cause of all your fears lies quietly in the outer hall. 

 Come, you shall judge upon what good grounds you 

 absconded through a window, and skirmished half the 

 night over hill and dale, with but the nether portion of 

 your habiliments.' 



" As he spoke he uncovered a large basket, and pointed 

 to a huge pike of some thirty pounds weight, which was 

 coiled around the bottom. 



" ' The stormy weather,' continued the host, ' having 

 interrupted our supply of sea-fish, the peasants who 

 alarmed you had been setting night lines for your 

 especial benefit. The petka more* which you heard 

 devoted to your services in the shebeine-house, was not 

 an instrument of destruction, but, as you shall admit at 

 six o'clock, as good a white fish as ever true Catholics, 

 like you and I, were doomed wherewithal to mortify the 

 flesh upon a blessed Friday.' " 



The stranger smiled. 



" I may have wronged my late companions," he said, 

 " but I have of late been under such constant and 

 painful excitement, that I often wonder that reason held 

 her seat. I have this evening not only been delivered 

 from considerable danger, but I have fallen most 

 unexpectedly upon persons and a place which, on this 

 remote coast, and among these wild hills, appear 

 miraculous. Your accents are different from those 

 I have lately listened to : and could I but find courage 

 to tell my story, you would own that I have lately under- 

 gone sufficient trials to unnerve a stouter frame than this 

 feeble one of mine." 



After some time, the stranger felt the cheering effect 

 of my kinsman's claret, and in a strain which might be 

 termed serio-comic, he thus narrated his story. 

 * The large pike. 



