G2 BRAGGADOCIO.

words. But first, Tom, take out your oars,
and then let me take out the young leddy.”

Bessie did not wait for help; she sprang
to the ground as light as a bird.

“Now, ye sees, I must jeest turn the
cart round, and then we’ll dump the boat into
the water.”

And Pat drove his oxen into the shallow
water, and after “hawing” and “geeing”
so loudly as to make the quiet spot ring
with the sound, he succeeded in turning the
cart. He then tied the long rope, which was
fastened to the stern of the boat, to one of
the stakes of the cart; then pulled out the
iron spike from the cart, and dumped it. The
boat glided out swiftly the full length of
the rope, and then by a sudden jerk came back
again.

“ As beautiful a launch as ever was seen by
these two eyes,” exclaimed Pat, while Tom and
Bessie clapped their hands and shouted for joy.

The little boat itself seemed to rejoice too,
like a fish who had regained its native ele-
ment.

“She sets on the wather like one of the