92 The Confessions of a 'Poacher. 



tory and catch fish, fairly if they can but 

 they catch fish. 



Just as redwings and field-fares constitute 

 the first game of young gunners, so the loach, 

 the minnow, and the stickleback, are the prey 

 of the young poacher. If these things are 

 small, they are by no means to be despised, 

 for there is a tide in the affairs of men when 

 these " small fry " of the waters afford as 

 much sport on their pebbly shallows as do the 

 silvery-sided salmon in the pools of Strathspay. 

 As yet there is no knowledge of gaff or click 

 hook only of a willow wand, a bit of string, 

 and a croocked pin. The average country 

 urchin has always a considerable dash of the 

 savage in his composition, and this first comes 

 out in relation to fish rather than fowl. See 

 him during summer as he wantons in the stream 

 like a dace. Watch where his brown legs 

 carry him ; observe his stealthy movements as 

 he raises the likely stones ; and note the primi- 

 tive poaching weapon in his hand. That old 

 pronged fork is every whit as formidable to the 

 loach and bullhead as is the lister of the man- 



