224 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



say so. If at my age I do not know that men will 

 help you most when trusted it is time I did, for 

 when only in my teens I heard my father say to a 

 man of his who had just retired to bed and looked 

 out from an upper window to see who knocked : 

 " Skinner, I want you to drive to Lynton. It's 

 most important and I don't know whom to trust 

 but you." "All right, maister, I be coming." My 

 dad's faith in men not only got them out of bed 

 but caused them sometimes to surprise themselves 

 by the work they did. We trusted O'Malley and 

 his mate and were justified by the result. Their 

 desire to get fish was unmistakable and they 

 showed they were resourceful as, at their next 

 attempt, they rowed round the other way so that 

 where the boat had passed with the tide before it 

 had now to be rowed against. It was just where 

 the rowing needed most exertion that a heavy fish 

 came on which, aided by the tide, needed much 

 straining of the rod and line to thwart his efforts 

 to reach again his weedy haunt and which, when 

 beaten at this trick, struggled near the surface in 

 plucky fashion until gaffed. 



It was much past lunch-time when we had 

 finished here so we went on shore to refresh and 

 stretch ourselves. Hoping that we should get men 

 to take us out, we had brought food and drink for 

 four. This finished, there passed a whispered word 

 or two between the men, and then Brian said : " If 

 it'll plaise yer honours ye'll be thrying yer luck 

 again. Ye must take some fish wid ye back to Mr 

 Sheridan." 



Brian had the seat next to me so it happened 

 that we often caught each other's eye. Unlike the 



