A Slimmer Idyl 117 



rusty hook and a clothes-line,' contemptuously said 

 a fourth great authority. ' Ho ; Ho : Lady-bird,' I 

 thought to myself. ' Little did you know how easy 

 was the task you set me. Evidently you knew no 

 more about the pike than I did.' Had there been 

 proper tackle at hand I should have gone to the river- 

 side before going to bed, so sure did I feel that master 

 jack could be had for the asking. While I slept that 

 night he was slain a hundred time and more and 

 each time I awoke and discovered the mistake I vowed 

 afresh that he should not see to-morrow's sun go down. 



To make assurance doubly sure, I stepped over 

 next morning to the gamekeeper's cottage to get his 

 advice on some minor points, and also to borrow a 

 stout rod and line my own accoutrement being 

 meant for small trout fishing. Before starting I jotted 

 down what the books seemed to think the favourite 

 baits. These were a lump of fat bacon, an eel's head, 

 a frog, a small trout and a minnow ; others were given, 

 but these seemed the most popular, and I made up my 

 mind to try them in the order in which they are set 

 down. I resolved to say nothing to the keeper about 

 my book-knowledge, but to test the one by the other. 

 When I entered the paddock in front of the dog- 

 kennels he was stripped to the shirt beside a tub of 

 water apparently washing a liver and white setter. 



' Good morning, James/ I said affably, ' you seem 

 busy.' 



' Verra, sir. Gettin' the dogs right for next mouth ; 



