DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 115 



opinions at first sight. I soon unlearned my first 

 impressions of the man who called me " Green " and, 

 in good time, I came to understand that a wiry 

 frame may be as useful as a large store of bone and 

 muscle in matters intellectual. 



It was while slowly following our leader that 

 the artist told me of their wet journey in the 

 train. 



On entering the meadow I had time, and only 

 time, to see that to my left there was an unbroken 

 stretch of green, bound in a long distance off 

 with high hedges that had huge poplars in them, 

 which seemed to vie with one another as church 

 spires do to point the highest towards the blue, 

 when a voice called : " I say, Green, put me on 

 another bait ; the one I put on came off at the first 

 cast." 



On looking round I saw that the meadow's 

 boundaries in that direction were finished off by 

 a broad silver hem and on the edge of the glittering 

 water there stood a man that held a rod and called 

 for " Green." I put on a bait and saw him prepare 

 to throw. I would have much preferred to make 

 the cast myself or see my friend, the artist, do it, 

 as I expected this second bait to follow the course of 

 the first which I imagined had flown yards beyond 

 the place his tackle went to. The cast was made 

 and, when I saw the bait rise to the required 

 height and then with a gliding shoot reach the spot 

 desired, I was glad I had not offered my assistance. 

 I saw him gather his loose line preparatory to 

 striking a running fish, I saw him play it, and then 

 concluded that this man had little to learn about 

 live-baiting with a snap. 



