A LUCKY EVENINO. 135 



into the bank and could tell that he was rolling from 

 distress. 



We reeled him up tight, but, although no doubt he 

 was close in, we could neither see fish nor line, so we got 

 out the gaff, which fortunately was over our shoulder, 

 and by reaching out managed to get the crook, round 

 the line, and passed it down in the direction of the fish 

 until they met. We then cleared the line and struck 

 at where we guessed the fish should have been, but 

 only scraped him, so were obliged to repeat the per- 

 formance a second time, fortunately with success, as 

 we gaffed him just under his neck and hauled him to 

 bank without further mishap. He scaled 2-1 lb., and 

 was a fine cock fish. 



Taking ofE one's waders &c. is not the sweetest of 

 jobs at any time, and the pleasure is no greater Avheu 

 the operation has to be conducted in pelting rain and 

 pitch darknesis. 



In time, however, we got the kit and rod packed up, 

 and having tied each fish together by head and tail, 

 slung them across our back and set off for the two- 

 mile trudge home — all up-hill, by the way. 



And a nice tramp it was, running into a hedge one 

 moment and into a ditch the next, the fish swinging 

 from side to side all the time, and the bit of old line 

 which carried them nearly cutting our shoulders in 

 two. 



We were congratulating ourselves on having accom- 

 plished about half of the journey when, while sliding 



