110 A DAY UP THE RIVER. 



an older fisherman than you has been taken 

 in that way." 



" That is true," said the Captain, cracking 

 his first egg, " and the Parson may quote 

 himself as an example. It was only last 

 Monday that I saw him playing a jenkin in 

 that very place, and shouting and bawling 

 for Pat Gallagher and his gaff, loud enough 

 to waken the seven sleepers ; and the fish, 

 when he did get it, turned out to be not quite 

 twice the size of his fly." 



" Fact," said the Parson, laughing ; " and, 

 for a wonder, no exaggeration. I hooked 

 the little brute on the very edge of the fall, 

 and it threw itself over. My line was too 

 long for me to see what was the matter, and 

 the failing water on the suspended fish gave 

 it all the weight of a salmon. I never was 

 so disgusted in my life ; but I did not choose 

 a fair day for my exhibition." 



"Neither did I," said the Squire ; " but I 

 remember making a very similar exhibition 

 myself. It was at Leckford, and before 

 three or four members of the club, as good 

 fishermen as any in England ; all of whom 

 were as much deceived as I was myself. 

 There was a trout of some unheard-of 



