62 A DAY AT LOUGH MELVIN. 



here and there extensive beds of water- weed. 

 It connects Grove Island with a remarkable 

 point on the northern shore, and is about 

 equidistant from either extremity of the lake. 



This place had been reckoned upon as a 

 sort of object by the fishermen ; and here 

 they expected to wind up the day brilliantly. 

 But by the time they had arrived there, the 

 swell on the lake had completely subsided, 

 and the glassy surface betrayed the cheat. 

 The Parson's light tackle had occasionally 

 deceived an unwary young trout, but for the 

 last half-hour the cross-lines had caught no- 

 thing ; when suddenly a heavy plunge was 

 made on the Squire's side, and a four-pound 

 gillaroo showed his yellow side as he carried 

 down the fly. 



" Hurrah! that's my fish," said the Squire; 

 " and that is the fish of the day. Leave 

 your line slack ; I can play my own fish. 

 You may see he's on my side of the 

 feather." 



Hardly were the words out of his mouth, 

 when the unmistakeable heavy curl of a real 

 salmon bubbled up round another of the 

 flies ; but this time evidently on the Scholar's 

 side of the feather. 



