328 THE RIVER. 



enough, but that the hoys wished to share 

 in the honour and glory. 



" Well done, Squire," said the Parson, as 

 his measuring -tape gave three feet two 

 inches and a-half in length, and his steel- 

 yard nearly twenty-seven pounds in weight. 

 " You carry the rod this season, at all events 

 — we shall none of us come up to that." 



"Thrue for you," said Johnny, exult- 

 ingly. " There never was the fellow to that 

 caught on the river, but the one, and him 

 caught with a single gut too — a right school- 

 master." 



" Long life to his honour ! and didn't I 

 say that he'd bate them all?" said Paddy 

 Mooshlan. 



"And didn't I know that his honour 'd 

 do just that all along?" chimed in little 

 Willie. 



" Where did you catch him?" said the 

 Parson. 



" At the Bank of Ireland," said the 

 Squire. " I had not been fishing there two 

 minutes when he rose and missed me. After 

 giving him the customary ten minutes' rest, 

 I went at it again with all possible caution, 



