WATERS OF YOUTH 5 



sumably, in league with them, as well as anxious to 

 conserve his own property. These tremors gave an 

 added zest to the occasional captures that used to 

 reward our visits. The fish were for the most roach, 

 with one or two small chub. I never remember catch- 

 ing more than two at any one time. I grieve to say 

 that Sunday afternoon was our favourite occasion for 

 the foray. We presumed on the law of orthodox 

 English nature which ordains that the forenoon of the 

 day shall be spent in church, and the afternoon in quiet 

 meditation on the sermon which has been preached. 

 At least, that is my interpretation of Sunday proceed- 

 ings now; in those innocent days we held that the 

 authorities slept. 



Some miles away from our school there was a lake 

 which never ceased to rouse our curiosity and cupidity, 

 and to the end of my life I shall remember the night 

 when we first had ocular demonstration of its possibili- 

 ties. There was a very aged person (he seemed so to 

 us, being about eighteen) who came to read with the 

 authorities, and to while away the time before some 

 examination. Being so old, he was highly privileged, 

 and to us he seemed a perfect Nimrod, for he had a 

 gun and a real fly-rod, actually caught a trout in the 

 little river, and even soared so high as to obtain per- 

 mission to fish in the enchanted lake. And so one 

 evening he returned with no less than eight roach 

 which he had captured alone and unaided. They must 

 have weighed about six ounces apiece, and spread out on 

 rushes on a dish they made an imposing spectacle. 

 Envy but mildly expresses my own feelings on that 

 occasion. Not long afterwards another visit to the water 



