186 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



and struck a fish which, after much manoeuvring, 

 was brought across and safely gaffed. Not many 

 minutes after I felt the slightest touch at the same 

 spot, but with no result. Coil on coil dropped into 

 the tin without my heeding. My eyes were watching 

 for the minnow to see if it had become disfigured by 

 a weed. I saw it coming, and, when it was so close 

 to me that I was in the act of lifting for another 

 cast, something happened that was so startling in 

 its combined effects as to quite unnerve me for an 

 instant and put to ridicule my ready answer to : 

 " How do you manage when a fish comes on while 

 your tin is full of coils ? " I killed the fish which had 

 actually splashed me in its rush for the bait ; but 

 for an account of what happened during the first 

 few seconds you must ask Mr Pipe who, being an 

 onlooker, saw most of the fun. 



Many who have thought their " Mallock " or their 

 " Silex " reel perfection have been converted to the 

 coil. They could cast as far and as accurately as 

 I, though not with so light a lure as mine ; but 

 the getting back, with a reel, must cause discomfort 

 which becomes too back-breaking for anyone before 

 the day is over on a river like the Lyon. It is a 

 pleasure to stand by a newly-made convert to the 

 tin and show him still further how it is done there 

 are several helpful wrinkles and see his pleasure 

 and hear his thanks. Military men are the most apt 

 pupils and show most pleasure, for the head-up atti- 

 tude that coil-making allows suits the set of their 

 limbs better than the stooping, leaning bend which 

 the winch exacts, and they are also quick to see how 

 much more enticingly they can manipulate the bait 

 with their new-learned method. 



