388 THE BREAKING UP OF THE PARTY. 



siderably raised above the level of the lake, 

 but itself overhung and shaded by the higher 

 cliffs above. Occasionally, when interrupted 

 by a watercourse, it would sink down to the 

 lake shore, and for some hundred yards 

 skirt the very waters edge, but its general 

 level lay fifty or sixty feet above it. 



About nine miles from Belleek stands a 

 little wayside public-house, and as the stage 

 to Enniskillen is a long one, it is customary 

 to halt here for a few minutes to rest the 

 horses. 



"Come," said the Parson, "let us have 

 one more look at the old place : there is a 

 convenient watercourse here, and in dry 

 seasons it affords not a very bad path to the 

 top of the cliff. I have been up it before, 

 and I can assure you the view is worth 

 seeing." 



The Squire, who had never contem- 

 plated going farther than to Enniskillen 

 that night, consented readily enough, per- 

 haps more readily than he might have done 

 had he realised precisely what the Parson 

 meant by "a not very bad path." 



"Well, thank Heaven, we are out of 

 this," said he, as, puffing and blowing, he 



