WAKWICK WctOULANUS. 71 



just beneath the skin, whence a touch of the knife dis- 

 lodged it. 



"What now — what now, boys?" cried the old sinner, uo 

 whit disconcerted by the general mirth against him. "I 

 say, by gin! I killed him, and I say so yet. Which on 

 ye all — which on ye all daared to go in on him, wishout a 

 knife nor nothen. I killed him, I say, anyhow, and so 

 let's drink 1" 



''Well, I believe we must wet him," Harry answered, "so 

 get out another flask of whiskey, Tim; and you Jem and 

 Garry lend me a hand to lift this fine chap into the 

 wagon. By Jove I but this will make the TeacWans open 

 their eyes ; and now look sharp ! You sent the Teachmans 

 word that we were coming, Tom?" 



"Sartin! and they've got breakfast ready long enough 

 before this, anyways." 



With no more of delay, but with lots more of merri- 

 ment and shouting, on we drove; and in five minutes' 

 space, just as the sun was rising, reached the small rude 

 enclosure around two or three log huts, lying just on the 

 verge of the beautiful clear lake. Two long sharp boats, 

 and a canoe scooped out of a whole tree, were drawn up 

 on the sandy beach; a fishing net of many yards in length 

 was drying on the rails; a brace of large, strong, black 

 and tan foxhounds were lying on the step before the door ; 

 a dozen mongrel geese, with one wing-tipped wild one 

 among them, were sauntering and gabbling about the nar- 

 row yard; and a glorious white-headed fishing eagle, with 

 a clipped wing, but otherwise at large, was perched upon 

 the roof hard by the chimney. 



At the rattle of our arrival, out came from the larger 

 of the cottages, three tall rough-looking countrymen to 

 greet us, not one of whom stood less than six foot in his 

 stoekincrs, while two were several inches taller. 



Great was their wonder, and loud were their congratu- 

 lations when they beheld the unexpected prize which we 

 had gained, while on our route; but little space was given 

 at that time to either; for the coffee, which, by the way, 

 was poor enough, and the hot cakes and fried perch, 

 which were capital, and the grilled salt pork, swimming 

 in fat, and the large mealy potatoes bursting through 

 their brown skins, were ready smoking upon a rough 

 wooden board, covered, however, by a clean white table 



