SMALL WATERS AND TYPICAL DAYS 61 



had at length to be smashed up bodily by a some- 

 what heavy sporting knife. 



The young man seized the opportunity to put his 

 oars inboard for a moment, beat himself feebly, and 

 blow upon his fingers for warmth. Being anxious, 

 however, to boast once and for ever that I had 

 actually caught a pike on Christmas Eve, I re- 

 commenced spinning with new zeal after each clear- 

 ance of ice. At the third cast I was fortunate 

 enough, having spun half across the lake, to 

 hook, gaff, and lift aboard a fish of about 4 Ib. 

 There were many larger pike in the water, and 

 during the winter of 1899 one patriarchal and 

 original inhabitant of 261b. was caught there. My 

 winter fish was large enough for honour, quite suffi- 

 cient for the fish-kettle of a certain dame who likes 

 to have a boiled pike dished up with parsley sauce 

 when she can get one, and would serve if ever he 

 wrote another Christmas story to ease an author's 

 conscience in stating that he had actually killed a 

 Christmas pike. 



This something attempted something done had 

 earned a little cold repose, and as the sun continued 

 to persevere in making himself felt, I surmised that 

 there might be a temporary cessation of frost ; here, 

 moreover, was our opportunity for going ashore and 



