24 AN ANGLER'S LINES. 



stationary; then, after a few spasmodic jerks, 

 it slowly sank out of sight, and the line sprang 

 taut. Whatever the unseen, it was a sturdy 

 fighter. No puny struggling was there, but one 

 steady, stubborn resistance, and visions of fish 

 " as long as this " rose before me as the line, 

 tight as a bow-string, cut a wide semi-circle 

 in the wafer. Nearer and nearer it came, and, 

 submerging the net, I lifted out a carp of 

 i lb., ;and plump enough to keep for the 

 farmer's breakfast, in accordance with his wish. 

 Another piece of paste was swung out, and met 

 with speedy attention. 



Bites finnicking, bites genteel, wary bites, 

 voracious bites ; I had example of each, and 

 soon a second fish lay in the bottom of the 

 boat. Nor had I long to wait for the third 

 and fourth. If youthful and guileless, they 

 were fighters all, and required respectful treat- 

 ment. The fifth, eluding the net, bolted under 

 the boat, and broke the fine gut line in twain. 

 It was a sorry happening, for now carply con- 

 fidence gave place to suspicion, so that even 



