126 The Angler's Secret 



"Who owns this old place and what 's 

 it all about? " asks the doctor, the eating 

 of the little clams and the sight of a fine 

 sea bass giving battle at the end of my 

 line reviving his spirits. 



"I don't know the owner, Doctor. I 

 took possession one summer's day some 

 years ago made for the open door dur- 

 ing a terrific thunderstorm that overtook 

 me in a small sailboat out there in the 

 channel and have never been disturbed, 

 though spending several weeks here twice 

 a year ever since. ' ' 



The doctor is beginning to act agree- 

 ably. He offers to clean the sea bass 

 while I catch another, but I hand him 

 the rod and I set about cleaning the fish 

 and building the drift-chip fire. 



I could arrange for the doctor to take a 

 nice weakfish, but decide it is better to 

 first have the supper over and the beds 

 made before we become really interested 

 in the angle. So I let the dear old 

 fellow take a two-pound bass, and then 



