Worms 



you have given me has been exceeded only by the gracious 

 way in which you have taken me to your bosoms, as it 

 were, and admitted me into the secrets of your select 

 fraternity. As a slight return for your kindness I will, 

 with your permission, impart to you a rather remarkable 

 experience of my own." 



With scarcely concealed about-to-be-bored expressions 

 on their faces, they condescendingly indicated their 

 willingness to listen. 



O. P. impressively continued: 



" A matter of twenty or more years ago I was attached 

 to a State fish- hatchery. Among other duties, I tabu- 

 lated and kept track of various lakes and ponds where 

 our institution released the fry of game fish. In checking 

 over a list I was interested to note that, some years before, 

 a Tammany politician had succeeded in getting five 

 hundred thousand lake-trout fry placed in one of the 

 ponds in Central Park." 



He paused, lit a cigarette, and noting that he had the 

 close attention of his auditors, proceeded: 



" Not very long ago I read in a sporting magazine 

 that the old institution I had served was being closed 

 down. I happened to remember the incident of the 

 fry that had been deposited in the Park. It was in 

 the month of May, and that year I had been much 

 disappointed that business had prevented my annual 

 fishing trip to Lake Rossignol, Nova Scotia." 



Again he paused and apologetically went on: 



" Perhaps you gentlemen did not know that I had 

 done a little fly-fishing in a small way ?" 



He now had the undivided interest of his hearers. 

 Their eyes revealed an expression of calculating shrewd- 

 ness. Was it a wolf in sheep's clothing they had been 

 entertaining ? 



O. P. continued: 



31 



