A PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE 83 



to rush Old Black Bass, hoping to win re- 

 pute for valor for doing it. And when he 

 encountered patience, his daring increased : 

 he tried to chase the big fellow from the 

 school. 



But Old Black Bass bore it all without 

 flare of resentment. At times he even wel- 

 comed it, as giving chance to discipline his 

 wild nature. Only once did he come near 

 forgetting himself. Clumsy snatched a 

 shiner from Old Black Bass that the latter 

 was turning about to swallow head-first, 

 and this was done in the presence of Gloria. 

 It was open and flagrant insult. The great 

 dorsal flared like bristles on the back of an 

 Airedale. Opening jaws exposed gleaming 

 teeth; there was movement of gathering 

 muscles over the big body. 



But he subsided, the anger leaving him. 

 And instead of sensing his danger, Clumsy 

 concluded that henceforth he could do any- 

 thing with impunity. In this conclusion, 

 though he knew it not at the time, he was 

 unwise, as time would tell. 



On a day the school was foraging down 

 near the great dyke when it encountered a 

 bass from a strange school a wanderer, 



