LEAVES FKOM A GAME BOOK. 129 



end of the repast we followed the rest into the smoking 

 room, where naturally trouting talk was the only topic 

 of conversation, while whiskey, hot, cold and with 

 " sodda watter," lent embellishing aid to many of the 

 stories. 



In the assembly in which we found ourselves, three 

 friends in particular attracted every one's attention by 

 narratives of how they had caught heavier and larger 

 numbers of trout than any one else ; the trio were also 

 apparently great at all athletic feats, one of them 

 loudly relating a story of a leap so extraordinary as 

 to call forth from a listener an exclamation of 

 " Impossible, sir ! it could not be done." 



On him the teller of the story turned fiercely, 

 retorting in angry tones, " Pray, sir, do you doubt my 

 word ? " 



** Oh, no, not at all," replied the other. " I only 

 feel sure you must have made a mista,ke in the 

 details." 



" Oh, do you ? You little know what we can do 

 till you see for yourself," answered the athlete, who 



