Sporting Sketches in Pen and Pencil. 



might slip in a request for a day, he laid his plans accordingly. The 

 stumps were set ; the match ahout to hegin ; old D. on the look out. 

 "When he saw the Squire drive up four-in-hand and enter the ground, 

 D. carefully meandered round till he came upon him. 



"Ah, D. ! "What sort of a match shall we have to-day?" and the 

 conversation hegan ; and D., who as a rule was a most disputatious 

 cantankerous man, was highly deferential. The Squire was jolly and 

 chatty, and D. saw that day's fishing coming nearer and nearer. At length 

 he made a dash for it. 



" I hear, Squire, that you have some good pike fishing at L. I 

 should like to try my luck there very much if you would allow me." 



I have said the squire was " sticky" in giving permission, hut " sticky" 

 is not the word. He never gave permission at all save under very unusual 

 circumstances. He hated to give leave ; he didn't fish himself, but he 

 couldn't abide to see any one else fishing. His countenance changed, and 

 the suaviter in modo gave place to thefortiter in re, or perhaps in modo too, 

 would be more correct. 



" I keep my fishing for my friends, Mr. D.," said the squire, frigidly, 

 and with emphasis on the "friends" and the "mister," — "and you're not 

 one of them — good morning," and off went the squire to back old D.'s tip, 

 while D. said something naughty under his breath, and wished he had 

 the squire before the wicket and without pads on. 



Time went over ; February set in mild but not too warm and sunny. The 

 day was fixed ; the morning came. An early repast of sausages, ham, toast, 

 coffee, eggs, and marmalade, put me in fettle; a large luncheon basket, 

 dtdy stuffed with varieties, another basket with sundries, a large double 

 hand rush basket and a pair of rods made my outfit when I met J. at 

 the Knockemdown station on the Pick-me-up-in-pieces line. J. was 

 tremendously picturesque, and what with kettles, &c., &c., we looked 

 like Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday going in pursuit of the 

 savages. J. was a prodigious smoker, and he had a bowsprit in the 

 shape of a Regalia Elephanta about a foot or so long. 



" Standard ! Telegraph ! " " Here, boy, give us both," and in five 

 minutes J. was deep in the markets, and I was in the telegrams, as we sped 



