rward
looked into the basket which Dermot opened to exhibit his fish.

"You are right, boy. Send Anderson here," he said, turning to a
footman. "We will purchase your fish, and you may come whenever you can
bring others as fine."

Several ladies of the party seeing the Earl, for the gentleman who spoke
was the owner of the castle, addressing the boy, came forward, and now,
for the first time, remarked his handsome features and picturesque,
though rough, costume.

The little girl begged that the fish might be taken out of the basket to
be shown to her, and seemed delighted with the brightness of their
scales and their elegant forms.

"Look after the boy, Anderson, and give him some breakfast," said the
Earl, as the head cook appeared, and Dermot, finding himself more
noticed than he was ever before in his life, was conducted down below to
the servants' quarters. Although they were town servants, and would
certainly have disdained to speak to a mere beggar-boy, or to a young
country clown, there was something in Dermot's unaffected manner and
appearance which won their regard, and they treated him with far more
kindness and attention than would otherwise have been the case.

Highly delighted with this his first visit to the castle, Dermot
returned to his mother's hut to give her an account of what had
occurred. That evening she was sufficiently recovered to accompany him
on their usual fishing expedition. Again they were successful, and the
next morning Dermot once more made his appearance at the castle. He was
received much in the same manner as on the previous occasion. His fish
were exhibited before being taken below, and greatly to his astonishment
a lady of the party begged that he would stand where he was, with his
basket in his hand, while she produced her sketch-book and made a
portrait of him. Dermot scarcely understood the process that was going
forward, and was somewhat relieved when the breakfast bell sounding, the
lady was compelled to abandon her undertaking.

"But I must have you notwithstanding, young fisher-boy," said the lady.
"You must come back after breakfast and hold one of those fish in your
hand; I have only made the outline, and the drawing will not be perfect
until it is well coloured."

"He does not understand the honour that has been done him," observed an
elderly dame to the fair artist; "still he looks intelligent, and
perhaps when he sees himself on paper he will be better pl