296 



THE ANGLERS SOUVENIR, 



a Sunday? There is such a temptation to do it. 

 One sits in one's snuggery in the afternoon ; a 

 favourite rod lies on a bracket close by. Is it 

 warped? one wonders, after its long rest. What 

 more natural than to put it together ; and if the 

 study is not large enough for its length, to push 

 it out of the window and try its spring? And 

 if people are passing on their way from afternoon 

 church, is there any particular reason why they 

 should look so extremely shocked ? If it is wrong, 

 then I am afraid the pike-fisher sinneth occasionally 

 as September goes on. 



At seven in the morning he steps out of his 

 house and rings the gardener's bell. The gardener 

 comes, and is laden with a casting-net and a 

 bucket. 



" A fine morning, sir." 



"Yes, John. We ought to get some to-day. 

 The wind blows cool and the sky is cloudy. Bring 

 the garden rake with you." And they walk down 

 to the canal, where John rakes the bottom vigo- 

 rously, until it is muddy for several yards around. 

 The master waits a few minutes, and leisurely 

 adjusts the casting-net ready for a cast ; and then, 

 when he deems that there are sufficient gudgeons 

 assembled on the muddy spot on the search for 

 food, he swings the net ; one, two, three, and the 

 net flows evenly off his arm, and falls in a perfect 

 circle on the water. He leisurely draws it in ; and 

 when John spreads out the tuck, they find twelve 



