20 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



there was a sulky blackness, out of which the 

 wind came with increasing speed, bringing with it 

 detached fragments of darkening clouds that snuffed 

 out, \^ith seeming anger, the remnants of the day. 



During the night the \vind rose to a hurricane, 

 and voiced itself round the angles of the inn, first in 

 soughings and then in hissing whistlings that com- 

 pelled thoughts of those at sea. Intermittent dashes 

 of rain, heard on the rattling window, lessened the 

 wind, and it fell again to moanings round the chimneys, 

 and then ceased and gave place to the patter of falling 

 water, from overflowing gutters, that lulled us off to 

 sleep. 



It rained the next morning, but in such gentle 

 fashion that we could hear the phiz, whiz, tiz of frying 

 bacon and recognise the crack of eggs on the pan's edge 

 as the morning's meal was being prepared, which 

 presently, the struggling sun, that would show itself 

 occasionally, helped to brighten. 



Flies are useless as a lure immediately after a time 

 like this, so nimble fingers made a bag with which 

 I visited the kitchen garden, where I found a store 

 of likely bait. Nothing proves more clearly that we 

 are by instinct hunting animals than our joy at success 

 when we are digging for worms. ^ 



By the time I had stretched my back, the sun 

 had got its v.ill, and shone with such brilliancy as 

 made the raindrops on every twig within its reach 

 sparkle so much like diamonds that some one, when 

 she appeared, gathered one upon a finger-tip while 

 wishing, maybe, she could wear a necklet of them. 



In spite of the kindly warnings of our hostess, 

 v/e started without first giving time for grass and 

 bracken to be free of their beautifying, but wet, 

 encum.brances. We tried hard not to go, but off 

 we went, resolved to proceed so cautiously as not 

 to disturb a hanging bead. This proved an easy 

 task for the first half-hour, during which we fished 



