48 About Several lieu ivho ivent a'Angling. 



landing his fish, and Avas watching an almost invisible 

 porcupine quill float which sailed about in a little fresh- 

 water sea, and I would defy any one but a clockmaker to 

 mark a bob of that float ; but as sure as the float sunk a 

 hundreth part of an inch he struck ; and when a little 

 roach, about five to a pound, came in, the little boy shouted 

 and told the kitten again. 



I thought to myself, " If that poor fellow had the run of 

 a fine river, well preserved, with an old keeper's instruc- 

 tions and good tackle, wouldn't he * wipe the eye ' of many 

 a salmon-fisher," for I never saw a keener sportsman or a 

 man with a quicker hand and eye. 



No. 2's refreshments were very scanty, and it was in my 

 power to give them a banquet at the cost of half-a-crown ; 

 but such a nature's gentleman was the poor clockmaker, 

 and so happy was he with his harmless enjoyment, that if 

 I had tendered pecuniary assistance he would have looked 

 on me as a snob. 



Some tobacco and a pull at my flask was all 1 dared oflTer : 

 could I ofier more to a man who kneAv Izaak Walton by 

 heart ? In desultory cross-examination I found, to my 

 great jo}^ that the party were going home by train. 



I would have given four times its value to have put a 

 crown into his hand, but I knew the man's mind : he was 

 as independent as I was, and felt it. 



Enter No. 3. The party of three jolly young farmers, 

 ligged out with new tackle, new bait cans, gaiters, fishing 

 boots, and all sorts of things advertised by fishing shops. 

 There was no difliculty in making their acquaintance. 

 They made mine. They had cold chicken, tongue, ham, 

 bottled beer, gin, whisky, rum, and tobacco in all vaiieties, 

 and were in riotous spirits. 



Their story came out in a moment. One of their party 

 professed to be a fisherman, and had enticed all the others 



