DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 59 



Will it for ever be the unexpected that will happen? 

 Shall I for ever be armour-plating and loading guns 

 and still remain defenceless? 



'Minnows, please,' was an innocent request if 

 viewed with my statement 'We can easily get more,' 

 but it assumed quite a different aspect judged by the 

 fact that she knew the three minnows she had lost 

 had cost a trifle over twenty minutes each to capture. 

 Hence the artfulness of 'Minnov\-s, please.' 



I have never been able to understand the affinity 

 that exists between boys and minnows. You have 

 only to see a boy canning a glass pickle jar of these 

 friends of his to observ'e how happy the}' are with 

 him and he with them. Of course I don't pretend 

 to say there is no love between men and minnows, 

 because they are distinctly a lovable httle fish; but 

 the fact remains that the only man I ever saw cany-- 

 ing a bottle of them looked as if he would be as glad 

 to be rid of them as I was of an umbrella that a gust 

 of wind played havoc with in Regent Street. Minnows 

 will take food off a bent pin if oftered by a boy; indeed, 

 their love for boys and glass jars will often cause them 

 to make attempts to swallow^ the pin while obstinateh' 

 refusing the daintiest morsel from a mian. 



\^'hen Nell said : 'Minnows, please,' I determined 

 quickh' to take her with me and, if possible, surrender 

 the pleasure of catching them to her. It so happened 

 that I had very recently had the honour of escorting 

 her to Shoolbred's, w-here I was much impressed by 

 the politeness, grand manner, walk, and feet of tlie 

 shop walker; so when I said : 'This way, madam, for 

 the minnow department,' I waved an arm and w-alked 

 as the shop v/allier had, and, when at the end of the 

 walk, I offered a seat; that is, I did it as nearh' as might 

 be without practice or a chair. I did him so well that 

 the lady entered into the fun and gathered her skirts 

 together with a side-look for the pretended chair. 



The shoal of minnows was still in the sandy eddy 



