DAYS IN DOVE DALE 85 



After dinner, I once again sallied forth with 

 my rod, and I fished till it was too dark for 

 me to fish any longer, but nothing happened ; 

 and then I waited under the grey rocks the 

 return of the major. 



About half-past eight I dimly discerned 

 across the water, and descending " The Sharp- 

 low Bank," a fisherman, with rod, net, and 

 basket. " Here at last is the major," said I ; 

 and I shouted, " Is that you, PiscatorV 



"No, sir," came the reply, "my name is 

 Taylor." 



" All right," said I. 



It grew darker and darker, and walking 

 very slowly under the grey cliffs, my grey 

 suit must have rendered me quite invisible 

 across the water, where I could just discern 

 two dark moving figures. 



" Probably night poachers," I said ; and 

 when I shouted "Cooey! cooey ! " with a 

 hoarse and rather cracked tone of voice, my 

 two friends took to their heels like madmen, 

 and I could soon distinguish their dark figures 

 'twixt sky and hill as they disappeared over 

 the top. I guess them to have been a couple 

 of cockney tourists scared by the unearthly 



