DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 175 



fit for work. On the occasion of which I am about 

 to write I found myself unusually hard to persuade 

 and made it in some measure a condition that Phil, 

 my eldest son, should go. He is a busy man, but 

 I talked to him until, to his astonishment, and 

 somewhat to mine, he consented. I gave no 

 chance for a change of mind but wrote at once to 

 say my son would come to join my friend, Johnson, 

 and myself at the fishing. 



The reply to my letter was a great surprise : 

 " I am very sorry your son cannot fish as every 

 rod is taken for weeks to come." This gave just 

 occasion for congratulating myself that I had not 

 made it an absolute condition that Phil should 

 accompany me as it left an opening to discuss the 

 expediency of my being at the fishing so as to 

 secure for him the first vacancy that might occur. 



The glad tidings have come. The river is in 

 ply and there are fish in every pool. It is no mere 

 statement from a casual source that the fish are 

 up ; a trusty man has said it ; so the fisher's 

 thoughts are of Euston, the north and the drive 

 from Aberfeldy, which will give a peep of the 

 Rocky and Drumharry pools, both brimful of 

 watery promise. It is best not to laugh at " watery 

 promise " as it is on the fulfilment of it that your 

 joys must come ; water in good volume is the first 

 essential, fish in due season are sure to come ; so 

 pray rather for water than for fish. Yet it may 

 be well to caution you that so far as I have 

 gathered it is best to take the weather as it comes 

 and not interfere. " I ain't going to pray for rain 

 no more " was told me by a professional a pro- 

 fessional fisherman "for if you do happen to 



