DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 167 



learn what would remedy the defects and, unfor- 

 tunately, I have to add that am I absolutely devoid 

 of ready-made constructive talent ; so, when stand- 

 ing before my bench of tools, I am much more 

 likely to scratch my head for an idea of how to 

 make a start and, having started, to have need to 

 suck a bruised finger than to make much progress. 

 A favourite plan of mine is to go from room to 

 room and scrutinise every article that lends itself 

 in shape, colour or material, to the something hatch- 

 ing in my brain. The Spiral Minnow, between 

 conception and birth, a period of quite two years, 

 played havoc with numerous articles of domestic 

 use. On an unlucky day I discovered a length of 

 rubber tubing connecting a gas bracket with my 

 Turkish bath, from which I cut pieces to work 



THE SPIRAL MINNOW 



with until it became too short for the original 

 purpose it had served ; only to find that a length 

 of tubing that is of the same circumference at 

 each end does not lend itself to be made into a 

 section of a fish which, when spun, will become 

 a whole and, apparently, in a terrible hurry to es- 

 cape. But I accomplished my end at last with the 

 aid of a grandchild's trumpet. 



My first desire to make improvements in fishing 



