PIKE FISHING IN LAKES 45 



minutes playing a fish some distance from the stern, 

 and by the time the keeper had weighed and returned 

 my ninth he was ready to assist him. Up to this 

 time H. had caught three fish, and I was sincerely 

 glad to know that the game was large enough to at 

 last warrant the use of the gaff for what was a grand 

 specimen of a i5-lb. pike. I accounted for other fish 

 of 5 Ib. and 2 lb., released of course to keep the rest 

 company, before we went ashore for lunch, returning 

 soon to realise that the smart fun was at an end. 

 Still, we went on catching now and then, and, the 

 sunshine having disappeared and a mist stealing over 

 everything, we realised that the hoped-for wind was 

 evidently not to be that day. Sincerely did I deplore 

 the putting back of those three y-pounders, for it was 

 now quite on the cards that I should not have an 

 honest leash to keep. 



The first fish caught in the afternoon weighed 5 lb., 

 the next 4 lb., and, the remaining time speeding fast 

 away, I kept the fourteenth, which was a little over 

 6 lb., and eventually, as numbers fifteen and sixteen 

 were only of 3 lb. and 2 lb. respectively, I had the 

 amusement of reflecting that I had actually landed 

 (or boated) fifteen fish, weighing 73 lb., yet had 

 basketed one short of the prescribed allowance. 



My persevering and skilful comrade continued his 



