his hands in horror, and shook his head. The colonel, after a period
of silent, chuckling mirth, opened his book again and read:

"And, after this manner, you may catch a trout in a hot evening. When,
as you walk by a brook, and shall hear or see him leap at flies, then
if you get a grasshopper--"

"Gad! that's the life!" softly voiced the colonel. Then, turning to
the still waiting Shag, he went on: "There's nobody in the wide world
who can bring peace and quiet to an angry mind like my friend Izaak
Walton, is there, Shag?"

"No, sah, Colonel, they isn't! _Nobody_!"

"Of course not! Gad! I'm glad you agree with me, Shag!"

"Yes, sah, Colonel."

"Um! Here, you go and give that newsboy a quarter. Tell him I didn't
mean anything; but never again must he interrupt me when he sees me
with Walton in my hand. Anything but that! It's positively indecent!"

"Yes, sah, Colonel. I done tell him that."

"And it--it's sacrilegious, Shag!"

"Yes, sah, Colonel; 'tis that!"

"Well, tell him so, and give him a half dollar. Now don't disturb me
again until we get to Colchester. How's the weather, Shag?"