DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 155 



After all the pother of preparation there still remains 

 that most fruitful time of happening, the hours be- 

 tween the morning and the evening of the starting-day. 

 Something is sure to occur that needs a telegram or 

 two. 



'Cannot go \vith you. Will \vrite. Johnson.' 



'Mr Johnson cannot come for the opening. Will 

 reserve the rod for your son. Stewart. Fortingall.' 



So after all I had the further justification for my 

 going that there was a son to coach. 



He was the only no\ice amongst the party on 

 the opening morning, and, in spite of the decision 

 of the rest that it was no use fisliing, in the face of 

 the report that there had been a frost and the river 

 was half frozen over, with blocks of ice coming do\\Ti, • 

 he said, 'I shall have a try, and there's need for hurry 

 if the river's going to be frozen over.' 



Every one felt a desire to do something, so we 

 accompanied the impatient young man, to be ^\^t- 

 nesses of his folly; or, perhaps, it was because we 

 w^ere longing to be on the river bank. Phil had prac- 

 tised casting with the tin so little that I was not 

 surprised to see his minnow fly much beyond where 

 he intended, to the ice that coated the water to near 

 mid-stream. With jumps, in answer to the hook's 

 catches in the rough surface, the lure reached the water, 

 and, before it had spun three yards, it was seized, 

 and a fifteen-pound fish resulted. He fought as 

 a fresh-run fish should, and was a picture on the 

 frosted grass, but I think it ver\" probable we old 

 folks and our faces attracted most attention from the 

 gillies, who were hurried off to fetch the idle rods. 



It so happened that, on drawing for the beats we 

 should take, it fell to Phil and me to be on different 

 sides of the same stretch, and he went to the falls 

 while I was tr\'ing a lower pool. As I came opposite 

 him I stood to watch, and found he had acquired some 

 proficiency in a style of fishing new to him, and was 



