THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



stand upon it, in a very wobbly state, with a rod 

 in either hand. I took up a position a short dis- 

 tance from him, and we waited patiently for half an 

 hour without a bite. Suddenly I heard a splash, 

 and, looking round, saw that A. had slipped off his 

 perch, and was halfway up to his knees in water, 

 with a broken rod and a most rueful expression on 

 his face. 



" I have lost such a beauty ! " 



" Serves you right. You can't pitch a big carp 

 out as you could a trout. This is the way see." 

 I struck at a decided bite, and found that I was 

 fast in a good fish, which, after a lively bit of 

 splashing and dashing about (the water was only 

 knee-deep, yet so muddy that the fish could not 

 see us), I led into a little haven or pond where 

 the inmates of a cottage in the wood came to get 

 their water, and lifted him out with my hands, a 

 tidy fish of three pounds in weight. In about a 

 quarter of an hour A.'s float moved slightly. Ho 

 was all excitement directly. He had never caught 

 anything larger than a half-pound trout. Some 

 minutes elapsed before another movement took 

 place. " He has left it," said A. 



" No, he has not ; don't move ; you will get 

 him presently." 



Then the float, or quill, gave a couple of dips, 

 then in a few seconds more moved off with in- 

 creasing rapidity. "Now strike." A. did so, and 

 soon landed a carp of two pounds. From that 



H 



