70 THE PIKE 



Moving down to be ready, fancying that the bait 

 might be dead, and knowing how essential it is in 

 icy cold water to change continually, I proceeded 

 to winch in, and then discovered to my amazement 

 that not only was the bait gone, but with it the 

 hook itself. There might have been some fraying, 

 as there often will be when there is ice, although so 

 far as one knows the gimp has never touched it. 

 However, baits were plentiful, and I promptly rein- 

 stated the former snap tackle of two sets of double 

 hooks. 



At the expiration of ten or fifteen wearisome 

 minutes down went the float and a fish was hooked. 

 It proved to be my old tantaliser, for in its mouth was 

 my lost single hook and the young roach which had 

 been attached to it. The hook was in the lip, and the 

 bait was mashed lengthwise down the middle of the 

 upper jaw. How the hook had become embedded in 

 one portion and the bait transfixed to another was 

 not clear, but it was sufficiently patent that the bait 

 was left embedded in the serrated roof, where the 

 masses of small teeth point inwards. The roach, 

 being very small, was flattened and stuck there just 

 as toffee, if one can carry one's memory back so 

 many years, would sometimes adhere to the juvenile 

 palate. 



