296 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



myself gripping my little rod as if I feared its loss 

 and, when a tug came, I gave such a vigorous 

 strike as would have broken it had I not been so 

 holding the line, as is my habit, that it might slip 

 through my fingers at such a pull. A fish struck 

 as this one had been could have no doubt about 

 its being attached to trouble and he commenced at 

 once in the wildest way to try to free himself, and 

 a grand fight he made to do it, but his first great 

 rush that found me less capable through having 

 acted so foolishly failed and, after that, his chances 

 lessened with each run until, out of breath, he came 

 with a roll and a flopping of his tail to be gaffed. 

 Tony unhooked the fish, the largest we caught 

 while with him, and then availed himself of the 

 opportunity of inspecting the bait again and, while 

 tickling his crown, he gave a smile that said " Of 

 course," and then there was another smile and a 

 smacking of his knee at the thought that his 

 memory could still go back to a period so remote 

 for proof of his belief that there is nothing new. 



The flashing bait attracted the pollack that quickly 

 darkening evening, as it had on many another such 

 occasion, while the rubber worm became discredited 

 and was removed to give place to another flasher, 

 and then both rods were busy and we thought to 

 fill the boat. When Dame Fortune comes with her 

 lap full of good things and gives with both hands it 

 is easy to be unmindful of the probability that her 

 stay will be brief. The big dark cloud brought 

 with it, from out the west, wind that freshened and 

 drove us to harbour. Mike, on landing, started for 

 a means of getting the fish to the hotel and came 

 back with the truth must be told a donkey and 



