THE EAGLE’S NEST. 
so we say half a glass of brandy and some water. 
The boy does not go away, but looks sternly and 
says “Never sell half glasses.” We are driven into a 
corner, and in desperation say, “ Well, bring a whole 
one. ” Our dinner is done. The hard biscuits on the 
plate are all eaten up, so is the cheese, and the last 
drop of brandy and water drained off, and we say 
“ Boy, what is to pay ? Mind the pony has had no 
food ? ” ‘‘ Bread and cheese two shillings, brandy one 
shilling — three shillings.” The two rupees are dis- 
lodged from their lurking place, and the boy is re- 
quested to bring the change ; when he returns he looks 
as if he quite expected us to say “Keep that shilling,” 
but as it w^as our last Vv^e did not say it. On the 
contrary, we had to ask for the change, upon which 
it was delivered up, with the reply “ Beg pardon, 
forgot.” But leaving we step into Mr. Carruthers” 
private room to see the company. L was going on 
talking a lot of stuff and nonsense. We rebuke him, 
telling him to behave himself in presence of a lady, 
upon which Mrs. Carruthers said, “ Tut, tut, let the 
poor man alone, there are no ladies here. I am just 
in charge of the resthouse, you know, and see that all 
you wild fellows are made comfortable when on your 
travels, and hard work it is at times. Tut, there ’s 
no ladies here, just a plain honest woman that never 
hears what you say, and cares as little so long as 
you pay the bill.” “And,” chimes in L , “ as I 
am just a plain honest man, and have no pretension 
to anything grand, and (staring well at the writer) 
we will all agree there are no gentlemen here, so it ’s 
all right.” On asking him, if he meant any personal 
offence, he said, ‘ ‘ If you consider yourself offended 
leave the room and then my remark will be surely 
correct.” He then came out and apologized, say- 
ing it was all a joke ; it was impossible to be angry 
with him, as he was no one’s enemy but his own. It 
was now about 9 o’ clock at night, and the moon was 
shining clearly, as we lugged the old pony out of his 
stall, and forcibly drove him down to the high-road ; 
he seemed resigned to his fate, and actually started 
on his usually slow pace, without a struggle. After 
getting through the Helboda Gap, he seemed to 
know where he was, and suddenly burst out into a 
good sharp trot, so suddenly as nearly to dislodge us 
from the saddle, and, on attempting to pull him up, 
it was impossible to do so, in fact he actually broke 
out into a canter. What an intelligent animal, no 
doubt he saw that snug little stable, a good way 
up the hill' at the Eagle’s Nest. The bungalow called 
by this name was now soon reached, and the pony 
