DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 93 



'I've winged him anyway, but, dang it, I have 

 no more cartridges.' W ith that he hurried to Hoole, 

 asked permission, and ran off home again, to find 

 on his return the bird still swimming quite serenely. 

 Again there was a bang and smoke, followed by a dive, 

 and then some one, no matter who, could not keep 

 his laughter back; then every one laughed and the 

 fun was over. He was the best tempered of fellows, 

 but the question, 'Shot that duck yet, Bill?' never 

 failed to rouse him. 



We reached the pond, to find it about two acres 

 in extent, with its sheltered side, next to a planta- 

 tion, clothed with high rushes, the sight of which 

 somewhat restored equanimity to my friend who 

 had not taken well the enforced leaving of the lake 

 where he had been so successful. He had a long 

 look at his great prize before he followed my lead 

 and cast his bait towards the harbour in which our 

 new hopes were centred. We then stood and smoked, 

 watching our floats gliding and bobbing in such 

 fashion as made us momentarily expect their dis- 

 appearance. Time disappeared but thej^ did not, 

 so we took our guide's advice and moved higher up, 

 taking our expectations v^dth us. Here we met with 

 sport, and, almost simultaneously, hooked and 

 brought to land captures, which were not, however, 

 fit company for those that lay beside the bait-can. 

 A further half-hour's wait brought only one more, 

 and that, too, so small that we decided on devoting 

 our last hour to the lower end, where we met with that 

 end-of-day success which is so apt to give regrets and 

 cause us to say, 'If we had only come here sooner !* 



The snow that had frequently threatened us came 

 in earnest now, but the semi-darkness that it brought 

 did not affect the doctor's luck, for he got two more 

 good fish, between nine and ten pounds each, while I 

 got one of seven, before the time arrived to put up rods. 



