apparent terror, resumed
his seat, and increased the generation of his genuine Latakia
tobacco-smoke.

It was now mid-day; and the hollow sounding tread of human feet clad
thickly, made R---- and me turn our eyes towards the threshold of the
cottage. Cased, like a shrimp-catcher, up to his hips in water-proof
boots, his landing-net, gaff, and fishing-rod, borne on his left
shoulder, P----, the very picture of impersonated anger, stood before
us. Dashing landing-net, gaff, fly-book, and his only fly-rod on the
table, regardless of crockery,

"A pretty trick you have played me!" he thundered out. We had never
given P---- a thought until the moment we saw him, nor did we, for one
instant, remember that, like Robinson Crusoe, he had been left on a
desert rock, and that the doleful cry might be his.

"It's now twelve," P---- continued angrily, "and you have quietly eaten
your breakfast, and allowed me to remain on that rock since six
o'clock."

"But my dear fellow," said R----, "could you not call for the boat?"

"And what have I been doing these four hours?" P---- exclaimed. "No;
it's just like you both; if you can satisfy your confounded
selfishness, the devil may take any one else's comfort."

"A boat would have put off to you," persisted R----, "if you had hailed
some of the workmen about."

"What nonsense that is," said P----, with wrath. "Do you think I stood
there like a fool, and held my tongue? Of course I hailed every one I
saw; but I should like to know who could hear me, stuck, as I was, close
under that Fall."

"Well, my dear fellow," answered R----, in a pacifying tone, "I tell you
the truth, I never thought of you until I saw your face at that door."

"That's just what I say; so long as you are comfortable, every one else
may go to the deuce;" and P---- snapped his finger, and walked to the
window. "Besides that," he added, "I am your guest, and entitled to look
for a little more respect."

"Oh! hang the respect," replied R----, quickly.

"Then you may fish alone," said P----; "for I'll be hanged if I will
stand being treated in this kind of way. Suppose, for one moment, you
had been in my place, and I had forgotten you, what would you have said
and felt? the case is the same."

"Why didn't you come ashore with me?" R---- asked, getting rather testy
himself; "am I your nurse? Am I to wait and watch for you?"

"Yes, you ought," said P----; "I would have done it for you. I can't
fish and have my