52 APT SCHOLARS. 



mediately with our captives, and having dehvered 

 them into the hands of our friend the butler, with 

 directions to inform her ladyship, retired to our 

 rooms to change our wet garments and dress for 

 dinner. Our highly esteemed magister artium — 

 for, irrespective of his knowledge in classics and 

 mathematics, his talents were multifarious — being 

 one of the numerous dinner-party this evening, 

 lifted up his eyes in astonishment on beholding 

 the splendid dish of trout placed on the table, 

 casting an inquiring glance at Lady Burdett, which 

 was returned by a rather mischievous smile, the 

 meaning of which he at once comprehended, and 

 the query, " Shall I send you some of our Kennet 

 trout, Mr. Meyrick, which were caught this after- 

 noon t 



" After my failure this morning," he answered, 

 " I scarcely think myself entitled to accept your 

 ladyship's offer ; but may I ask if they were taken 

 wdthin a mile of this place, since I could not 

 obtain a rise to any one of my flies this whole 

 day ?" 



'' They were caught within half a mile of this 

 house," was the reply, " and in the same stream 

 you have been fishing, by two young friends of 

 mine and yours, whom you must confess to be very 

 apt scholars under such scientific instruction." 



