FISH MEETS CANNY ANGLER 97 



He took a reel from a leather pouch and 

 went over it with an oiled cloth ; carefully, 

 lovingly, as though he enjoyed the task. He 

 unscrewed an agate jewel and put a tiny bit 

 of vaseline in the grease cup. A new silk 

 line of dark green he fastened to the spool 

 and turned it carefully on. 



Then he took a steel bait casting rod from 

 its case and ran his eye over the agate 

 leaders; went over it with the oiled cloth 

 till the tapering metal shone like smooth 

 ebony. 



In a small box he found abundance of 

 tackle which he sorted with infinite care. 

 It was the box he had whiled away winter 

 evenings over; and its contents represented 

 his judgment on lures. 



The polished rod and the noiseless-run- 

 ning reel he placed near him, and beside 

 them the selected lures. He drew the fire 

 and turned in till morning. 



At four o'clock he was frying bacon and 

 eggs beside the sputtering coffee pot. His 

 face wore a look of pleased satisfaction, 

 for it was a bass morning. He was alone; 

 clouds were banked in the sky ; and the black 

 water spread out before him. Now here, 



