358 THE SALMON FLY. 



THE GOVERNOR CAST. 



Once upon a time not so many years ago either on returning 

 home after a hard day's fishing in the rain with an old attendant named 

 Ewan, who at different times in his chequered career had served me as 

 valet, groom, gillie, and factotum generally, we came suddenly upon the 

 whole posse comitatus attached to the hotel, which happened to be, for 

 the time being, my headquarters in the North. There was " long Sandy," 

 than whom no Scotchman e'er cast a much longer line, or tied a more 

 killing " flee " ; and Eobin, who seemed by instinct to know the " lie " of 

 every running " fush " ; and Jamie the untiring, who'se muscles were 

 of steel, and for whom no day was too long or "bag " too heavy ; besides 

 a few others, whom to name were needless. The sudden appearance on 

 the scene of my trusty henchman with a frail on his back that evidently 

 contained something weighty, instantly took these worthies by surprise. 

 Knowing themselves the hopeless state of the water, it roused their 

 curiosity to the highest pitch. Eobin first opened the ball with : 



" An' hoo mony heads hae ye gotten the day, my braw laddie, for I 

 see twa tails whatiffer '? " 



The rougher element had already thrown out some noisy misgivings 

 amongst themselves and were now shouting impromptu verses on the 

 " common or garden " fly. 



" Order ! " cried Ewan. 



" Order anything you like in the way of whisky or baccy, no worm- 

 ing for us," rang through the air. 



" If Ewan is to tell you he must have silence," I remarked ; when 

 Eobin, with a knowing wink at the others, repeated his query as to how 

 many heads, etc. 



" ' Hoo mony heads ? ' Hoot awa ! De'il tak ye, there's as mony 

 heads as tails, and, ye daft creeture, it wad hae been a lesson to ye had 

 ye bin there wi' us the day," answered Ewan, as I thought rather 

 impatiently. 



" 'Deed then, an' that's no altegither improbable," drawled out 

 Eobin in a tone of more than usual solemnity. 



" Weel, but," continued Ewan, " I tell ye it is sae ; it's nae man in 



