Ahout Several Men lulio ivent a- Angling. 51 



papers on the subject, and then gave himself up to painting 

 his nose with ^roof. 



So No. 1 (that's myself) and No. 3 (that's the three 

 farmers) talked over No. 2 (the clockmaker and his little 

 party), and we voted them the best of the best, and we 

 voted No. 4 a snob. Then the No. 3 party whispered 

 together; and one of them almost died of convulsions, 

 and said to me (that's No. 1), "You ivill hear of a lark." 

 And so we separated for the night. 



Izaak Walton talked of inns where the beds smelt of 

 lavender, and ballads hung on the wall. My bed was a very 

 lively bed indeed, and sleep came not. Whilst I was bless- 

 ing {?) the fleas, and in utter despair, T heard a hubbub 

 which might have awakened the dead. There was much 

 violent language, and, on opening my door, I saw a madman 

 rushing about the passage in a very short night-shirt ; and 

 from adjoining bedrooms, occupied by No. 3, 1 heard shrieks 

 of merriment. The madman was No. 4. 



No. 4 rushed at me like a tiger. 



" Did you do it, sir ? " 



''Do ivhat ? " I asked. 



"• Did you put the big jack in my bed, sir ? " 



I thought I must have exploded right off: I told him, in 

 remarkably plain words — I may say, in vei'y remarkably 

 plain words — to go to bed, and not kick up such a row ; and 

 shut the door in his face. 



Query? Could No. 3 have done such a wicked thing as 

 to put the jack into No. 4's bed ? Somebody did it. 



E-2 



