apartment which I let to gentleman anglers. It is generally occupied
throughout the summer months. I expect every day to have a letter to
engage it, but it is vacant now. A very nice apartment,
sir,--sitting-room and bedroom."

"/Descende ceolo, et dic age tibia/," said Kenelm.

"Sir?" said the elderly man.

"I beg you ten thousand pardons. I have had the misfortune to have
been at the university, and to have learned a little Latin, which
sometimes comes back very inopportunely. But, speaking in plain
English, what I meant to say is this: I invoked the Muse to descend
from heaven and bring with her--the original says a fife, but I
meant--a fishing-rod. I should think your apartment would suit me
exactly; pray show it to me."

"With the greatest pleasure," said the elderly man. "The Muse need
not bring a fishing-rod! we have all sorts of tackle at your service,
and a boat too, if you care for that. The stream hereabouts is so
shallow and narrow that a boat is of little use till you get farther
down."

"I don't want to get farther down; but should I want to get to the
opposite bank, without wading across, would the boat take me or is
there a bridge?"

"The boat can take you. It is a flat-bottomed punt, and there is a
bridge too for foot-passengers, just opposite my house; and between
this and Moleswich, where the stream widens, there is a ferry. The