52 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



Our hostess had placed a jug of milk, a loaf, and 

 a plate of butter on the table in response to my 

 whispered information that I should steal away and 

 have an early try for a fish and be back to break- 

 fast. I have drunk the milk and shall eat the bread 

 and butter as I go. 



To tramp off brimful of imaginings of hungry 

 fish seeking their morning meal at an hour when 

 the vitality of our mind is at its fullest is to give 

 rosy hues to our ambition. My legs, to keep pace 

 with my thoughts, broke their walk and, when I 

 discovered this, I said : " I will not run although 

 there is no fear of a witness to my hurrying ; I am 

 in an unpeopled world as yet : but it is unwise to 

 commence to fish when heated and flurried ; it 

 would be better to walk leisurely and watch the 

 grey dawn grow into day. See how the bowl of 

 the sky grows, and presently the sun's forerunners 

 will be here to disperse the misty curtain that still 

 hides the tree-tops, and then the birds will warble 

 their welcome to the coming day." Waking noises 

 came singly, from here and there, at first, and then 

 grew in number until they came from everywhere, 

 and there was one great hum of joy, and the earth 

 itself seemed freshly glad to respond with a springy 

 lift to each footstep. 



It will occur to a fisherman sometimes during the 

 journey out to wonder if he is leaving aught behind 

 that he should have with him. This thought was 

 so strong within me as I neared the weir that I had 

 ultimately to stop and turn my basket out, only to 

 find that all I was likely to need was there. Even 

 after that I became unsatisfied again and my dis- 

 satisfaction grew until I felt sure that when I 



