THE COLONEL'S WAGER. 207 



fortune. The commander, too, talked in good, set terms 

 of " honourable conduct " ; but precept and practice, 

 I lament to say, are somewhat irreconcilable. 



'* Andy'' he said, in his most insinuating manner, to 

 our attendant ; " Andy Baton y you were always an 

 obliging boy, and very handy with the gaff. Just keep 

 your eye about the banks as we go along ; and if you can 

 snaffle a salmon or two, why, the pannier will tell no 

 tales, and weigh all the better." 



To me there never was a more delightful expedition ; 

 but my companion was cold to all the romance of 

 nature, and engrossed with one consideration — to win 

 his wager. While I was enraptured with the splendid 

 scenery that each new point presented, the Colonel was 

 cursing his flies, and pouring anathemas on the priest. 

 " How beautiful !" I exclaimed, as the sunshine fell 

 upon a mountain valley, through which a little rivulet 

 was winding, and whose waters, in the glare of light, 

 danced downwards like a streak of molten silver. 



'* How d provoking," responded my brother 



fisherman, " that the only decent fly in that accursed 

 priest's collection should be tied upon a hook with no 

 more point upon it than a hobnail ! Ah, Father Andrew ! 

 was this treatment for an old acquaintance — a man who 

 would have trusted his life to you, and drink with you 

 in the dark ? Here, Andy Bawn, give me my book, 

 and fling this most villainous assemblage of faded wool 

 and ragged feathers into the next bog-hole. And now, 

 my friend and fellow-labourer, leave the mountains 

 alone, and think more of filling the fishing-baskets, 

 or we are beaten men ! " 



We followed the course of the river for a distance of 

 ten miles, stopping at the pools as we went along, but 



