DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 3 



always belong to those who can take and hold 

 them : that every animal, including fish and birds, 

 has to fight to hold its own because Envy stalks 

 in every shape thirsting to be possessed of what 

 belongs to others : that the trout we tried to catch 

 so often had to fight to remain behind the stone 

 which enabled it to feed so comfortably, and that 

 even the cow which has the head position fought 

 for it and must be prepared to fight all comers or 

 down she goes. The proudest strutter in the yard 

 walks like that because the bird has not, as yet, 

 appeared that can make him walk meekly with the 

 meekest of the hens. 



I was full of this need to be a fighter when Pavey 

 gave me my first rod. 



" Do you think, Pavey, I shall have to fight to 

 keep it ? " I asked. 



He looked much surprised and said : " I hope not, 

 my boy, I hope not," in such a sad voice that I 

 tried to comfort him by asking : " Have you ever 

 had to fight, Pavey ? " 



" Only once, my boy, since I left school, and then 

 I got an unlucky kick, and that's how I lost my 

 eye." 



Pavey was my earliest tutor for fishing, and 

 much besides, and a better teacher it would be 

 hard to find. It will be a pleasure for me to tell 

 of him, for I owe him more than I can say. Who 

 shall measure the happiness of such a memory as 

 is mine of him, kept fresh and helpful for nearly 

 threescore years? " Sweep, Sweep." Hear that 

 sound where I may and I stand again in Pavey 's 

 shed listening to his tales while he is making my 

 rod. He knew the note of every bird and could 



