DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 103 



bait,' and artfully added, *I wish I could fix them on as 

 you do.' 



I soon gave in to his fascinating ways and we became 

 friends, friends that have gaffed and netted each 

 other's fish in many waters. In the broadest portion 

 of a river where a stately mansion looks down on the 

 fisher's doings we, together ^^^th the artist, have 

 spun them out, and lower down, where the river 

 narrows and \^ou can peep into depths so great that 

 veritable monsters would have room to roam some 

 distance up, down or across, and yet be hidden from 

 sight, we have tal<en many a fine fish. The finest 

 tackle is needed where trout and grayhng are so 

 plentiful that the pike grow fat and lazy. 



My float went round one of these deep holes perse- 

 veringly v^ithout the desired result, but the keeper's 

 *I know there's a big un there, sir,' caused me to stay 

 on and try a paternoster amongst the rushes where 

 very probably the fish was hidden. I must have 

 dropped the lead upon him at my first attempt, 

 as the rushes opened and a muddy swirl came up that 

 told he had moved; so I changed my method back 

 to float and snap and dropped the bait very carefully 

 into the eddying current which took the float away 

 until near the" tail where the water shallowed; and there 

 it found the fish, which came towards me with such 

 a dash that I had no chance to strike or even to feel 

 him, but my float was being held under, and I could 

 therefore hope that the opportunity would come by 

 his going from me \vith the bait still in his jaws. He 

 did so, and the vigour of my jerk and pull caused him 

 to turn back, and I thus lost touch of him for a time; 

 a lengthy time I thought it, during which I held my 

 breath and my brain was busy with conjectures 

 as to what might have given way; but the winch 

 and rod soon solved the problem by gathering in the 

 slack, when the fish, objecting to being held, made 

 a bolt down stream. Fortunately, he hesitated when 



