THE UPPER RAPIDS. 15 1 



they were with whisky-punch, were all as eager 

 for a race as the Scholar could wish. All 

 hands, too, were anxious to enjoy some of the 

 fun that was then going on at Belleek, so 

 that the stowage of the boats was completed 

 with more haste than good speed, the fishing 

 and cooking apparatus being thrown in to- 

 gether, in a jumble that bade fair to revenge 

 itself by giving tenfold trouble on the mor- 

 row, more especially as the sun had been 

 for some time under the horizon, and the 

 shades of evening were fast stealing on. 



" Ready in your boat ?" said the Squire, 

 taking the yoke-lines. 



" All ready/' said the Parson, who was 

 steering his own boat. 



" Hourrah, then, boys ! Off you go !" And 

 the boats shot out together into the deep 

 water. 



For some time there was no perceptible 

 advantage gained on either side. The men, 

 though not used to pull together, were all 

 well enough accustomed to the oar, most of 

 the carriage of these parts being by water, 

 and they bent their backs to it and struck 

 out lustily and well. A severe critic might 

 have detected some little eccentricities in 



