THE ARM OF THE LAW 129 



licences, and if he is given discretion which he 

 is not likely to abuse then, when he is satisfied 

 that no trickery is intended, he will in all probability 

 sell you the licence on the spot. 



But, if you defy the Law, if you began 

 bandying words, or in any way transgress against 

 the code of a gentleman, temporary or otherwise, 

 then you are " for it." These water-bailiffs serve 

 under important chairmen, with pretty blue blood 

 in their veins, and, moreover, the Board of Con- 

 servators has a learned clerk to whom they 

 report. They know a gentleman and a sports- 

 man, and how he should behave, and frankly, 

 and rightly, they will not have any nonsense. 

 From instinct, discipline, and training they know 

 how to do their duty, and they seldom make 

 mistakes. I remember once conversing with a 

 water-bailiff in a famous fishing district, a splendid 

 man of the old school, and I asked him if ever 

 he had trouble with fishermen. His reply was 

 quaint: "No, sir, not as long as they take out 

 their licence, and behave like gentlemen, and 

 agree with me" Personality tells ! 



If in England and Wales you fished succes- 

 sively through the spring, summer, and autumn 

 seasons, and visited a different river each week, 

 you would come within the jurisdiction of a good 

 many different Boards of Conservators, and would 

 have to take out a good many licences. The cost 

 ot these licences varies, but it does not amount to 

 much for trout-fishing in most cases, though a 

 salmon licence costs an appreciable sum, usually 



