^A, DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



followed without the shghtest shake so as to be as 

 little disturbing as possible to the fish it travelled 

 over. A short-shanked, round-bend hook, that was 

 easily hidden in a pea of paste, was his favourite, and 

 no persuasion would affect his choice in favour of the 

 more certain hooker — the long-shanked Crystal. 



Jack's style did not appeal to Ted, who, lacking 

 in the dogged grit to enable him to sit for hours to- 

 gether holding twenty feet of rod, preferred to roam 

 with one that measured onl}^ twelve, fitted with up- 

 right rings, an easily-running winch, and a float that 

 carried weight sufficient to be cast to a distance or go 

 long lengths down stream in search of fish. His ground 

 bait did not sink quickly, as Jack's did; it went sailing 

 off to drop pieces here and there along the course the 

 float would follow, and some of it, at times, reached 

 an eddy where it went round and round so attrac- 

 tively as to entice the chub to come from out sub- 

 merged boughs to fall a victim to the sly fisher who 

 increased his lure to meet their love of mouthfuls, 

 and it was in such fashion that he often beat patient 

 Jack and little less patient Phil. 



Unkind folk are apt to say that women do not really 

 love each other, but could they who think so have 

 seen the three ladies walking amidst the meadow 

 flowers with arms entwined they must have confessed 

 that here at least, where love showed so manifest, 

 there could be no room for the envy, jealousy, and 

 uncharitableness so much talked of. 



Arms untwined and footsteps wandered, and visits 

 of encouragement were paid to the fishers. My 

 partner was giving ear to Ted, who was never so 

 real a fisher that he could not find time to talk silly 

 no-nsense to any listener by the hour. 



I have had many proofs that my rod and handy 

 method are much approved of by lady anglers. Mrs 

 Ted has told me that Ted's rod, with its rings and 

 entangling fine, is not nearly so nice as mine, and that 



