150 ANGLING SKETCHES 



usually ' puts down ' the trout and prevents them 

 from feeding. In that case his alarm was prema- 

 ture. I marched homewards, happy with the 

 unaccustomed weight of my basket, the contents 

 of which were a welcome change from the usual 

 porridge and potatoes, tea (without milk), jam, 

 and scones of the shepherd's table. But, as I 

 reached the height above the loch on my westward 

 path, and looked back to see if rising fish were 

 dimpling the still waters, all flushed as they were 

 with sunset, behold, there was the Other Man at 

 work again ! 



I should have thought no more about him had 

 I not twice afterwards seen him at a distance, 

 fishing up a ' lane ' ahead of me, in the loneliest 

 regions, and thereby, of course, spoiling my sport. 

 I knew him by his peculiar stoop, which seemed 

 not unfamiliar to me, and by his hat, which was 

 of the clerical pattern once known, perhaps still 

 known, as ' a Bible-reader's ' a low, soft, slouched 

 black felt. The second time that I found him 

 thus anticipating me, I left off fishing and walked 

 rather briskly towards him, to satisfy my curiosity, 



