46 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



were any thoughts which he could extricate from under 

 that oppression of venison ! 



Table for Table, then, finale for finale, it is clear 

 that my hunting was superior to Brown's in having a 

 grand climax ; but I had already distanced him by 

 many lengths before we came to that winning-post of 

 the table. Brown lands his pike, and carries it home 

 with a careless ostentation, and an " Oh-I-could-have- 

 caught-more" kind of air. Admiring eyes follow him 

 throuoh the villao-e. He stands on his lawn and holds 

 up the fish before the window, to receive the facile 

 admiration of acquiescent Mrs B. And here his sport 

 ends till dinner. Now, although I carry home a bas- 

 ket of marine animals with none of that eff'ect upon 

 the popular mind (indeed the popular mind is terribly 

 apt to eye my costume and basket with ill-concealed 

 contempt), and although my servant can't for her 

 life think what master does with them things, not 

 she ; yet, when Brown and I are both fairly housed, 

 his delio'ht runs do^ai like a clock -weioht — mine 

 ascends like a windlass. The amusement of distri- 

 buting and identifying the animals I have already 

 noticed ; so we will suppose all that over, and that the 

 fatigues of the day have been snored off" with great 

 frankness. The morrow begins. 



My first thought on descending in the morning is 

 to glance with fond anxiety at my animals. While 

 the urn is musically hissing, and the cofiee percolating, 

 I am carefully inspecting vases and pans, removing a 

 bit of dirt here, a decayed weed there, placing a small 



