THE colonel's WAGER. 211 



kinsman, " the former I deny. By this virgin hand ! 

 every fish before you was killed by hook and line. 

 Come, are you for another bet ? For five pounds, and 

 within five minutes, I'll kill another salmon, and make 

 the number ten ! " 



" Done ! " we exclaimed together. 



** Hennessey, the rod ; wet the flies below the pool, 

 and in twenty seconds, yon cloud will be over the sun." 



Before the cabin there was a tolerable hole, deep, 

 but narrow. Where the stream runs in, the ripple is 

 considerable, and between it and the bank the deepest 

 water lies. If there be a salmon in the pool, there is the 

 spot to find him. My cousin sent the casting-line in 

 such masterly style into the opposite eddy as pro- 

 claimed him at once an adept, and the second cast a 

 salmon rose and took him. 



He was but a light fish, and in less than three minutes 

 was bounding upon the grass beside his dead com- 

 panions. My kinsman handed the rod to the attendant. 

 — " Gentlemen," he said in mock heroics, " in your 

 memories be all my bets remembered ! And now to 

 dinner, with what appetite you may." 



" Well," said the commander, " this heats Bannagher.* 

 1 would have given my corporal oath the knave had 

 swept the river. His flies are absolute perfection ! 

 There's villainy somewhere ; but come along. The 

 dinner must not cool, and the wine shall pay for it I " 



" Julius," said the commander, as he extracted the 

 third cork, *' thy star predominated ; a villainous 

 combination of circumstances, with infernal flies, and 

 an intractable pony, destroyed me. Andy Baton (we 

 are beaten, and the truth may be told) for the first time 



* An Irish phrase synonymous with" this exceeds everything." 



