DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 287 



the journey out and on the journey home, in spite 

 of noble efforts at sprinting to catch her sister up. 

 The mother's eyes went from right to left and from 

 left to right in answer to the cacklings of her hand- 

 some brood, so she did not see the ambling trot of 

 the game old soul behind. I wondered, I could not 

 help it, if the dear old lady had much to leave or 

 was dependent on those in front. The fishers' 

 captures were not numerous, but sufficient for all 

 to have trout for dinner each day and to set tongues 

 wagging that told much of how the day had been 

 spent. The delay of the aunt in coming to these 

 meals caused me to wonder more than once if she 

 had been left upon the road and, from exhaustion, 

 had fallen into a ditch whence, like the claret-loving 

 college don who fell between the graves in a church- 

 yard, she was unable to get up and, like him, had 

 folded her hands upon her breast and said, re- 

 signedly : "I suppose I shall rise with the rest." 

 I was so worried by such thoughts that when she 

 did appear I felt vexed with her for having made 

 me anxious and I understood why a mother beats 

 the child who has narrowly escaped some peril of 

 the street. 



It is pleasant to wake with brain refreshed and 

 body willing to undertake the tasks that have been 

 planned beforehand as then there is no worrying 

 thought of probable vexatious waste of time. First 

 hours were thought so much of in my youth, and 

 have given me so much better service in life than 

 later ones, that I think a day ill spent the first half of 

 which has not called forth an effort that deserved 

 approval. So it was overnight I made arrangements 

 for a boat and two men to go for pollack. This was 



