382 THE BREAKING UP OF THE PARTY. 



devise. A footman, unmistakeably En- 

 glish, as well by the glossy tidiness of his 

 cockaded hat as by the correctness and un- 

 pretending neatness of his quiet livery, was 

 standing in the rumble in the act of receiving 

 the carpet-bags and portmanteaus through 

 the upper windows of the inn. This did 

 not, indeed, require any very unusual ex- 

 ertion or ingenuity, for the window-sills were 

 considerably beneath the level of his head. 

 The Parson, under the carriage, was occu- 

 pied, much to Mr. Thomas's indignation, in 

 lashing to the old-fashioned and substantial 

 perch stout battens of real bog oak, to be 

 exhibited in his native country in the shape 

 of walking-sticks, as sentimental reminis- 

 cences ; while the fishing attendants were 

 mostly disposed in pairs, tugging and strain- 

 ing at the rods ; the joints of which, exposed 

 for so long a time to the continual alterna- 

 tions of wet and dry, had almost grown to- 

 gether. 



But besides this, the whole street was alive 

 with people. Every cabin within the radius 

 of two miles had sent forth its own indivi- 

 dual stream of men, women, and children, 

 who now stood grouped round the carriage, 



