>.^(k 



60 THREE FISH 



He knocked at the door, he borrowed the two 

 lamps, he placed them on the wall on either side, 

 he took the landing-net, he clambered down some- 

 how (a very nasty undertaking), he whipped up the 

 fish, and returned safely. By lamplight, by a con- 

 stable on duty — was ever a trout so landed before ! 



We weighed him in the mill. Three pounds and a 

 half and rather more, with a white scar on his 

 shoulder. I bore him off in triumph and tramped 

 back to the Club. 



My friends as I entered were busied in a game of 

 pool. In the mouth of the fish I fixed a small coach- 

 man fly, broke off the trace and sent the fish in by the 

 waiter on a dish ; then I lay low to watch the 

 tableaux through the peephole of the billiard-room. 

 My rival's initial exclamations were not meant for 

 publication. But I can hear now the supreme disgust 

 with which he ended up his comments "and a 

 coachman too ! " As if it were adding insult to injury 

 for such a menial to have done the trick. 



Well, the fish was cooked forthwith, and we had 

 him for supper with as much of " the boy " as the 

 stakes would run to, and in the safety of after supper 

 I confessed to the minnow. 



Should any of those good fellows ever chance to 



