THE RIVER. 311 



find such good stuff as that on the river. 

 We Belleekers are early birds, and you must 

 not snore so long or so loud if you mean to 

 weather upon us. It is some time since I 

 have had a chance at Cos na Wonna, and I 

 mean to have a fish or two out of it to-day 

 I can tell you." 



" Well, good luck to you," said the Bar- 

 rister ; " if you do, it will he more than I 

 have done for this week past." 



Pat gave a knowing look, and muttered 

 something to himself, which seemed as if he 

 did not put implicit faith in the Barrister's 

 veracity ; while the Parson, unhooking from 

 the lower ring of his rod a beautiful speci- 

 men of his yellow namesake, shook his line 

 clear and prepared for action. The river 

 was in beautiful order, with just a tinge and 

 no more of the late flood. There was a 

 light westerly breeze rippling against the 

 current, and a cloud, just sufficient to dim, 

 but not heavy enough to cast a gloom upon 

 the rising sun. It was impossible to imagine 

 a more promising morning ; but whether it 

 was that it was too early in the day, or 

 whether the fish had not vet recovered from 

 the late floods, or whether, as was more than 



