FISHES OF MY CHILDHOOD 23 



lucky, for I always returned home with enough 

 for a dish, but as there were few competing 

 anglers then, probably there were more fish than 

 now in that part of the Thames. 



Our next holidays were spent at Ryde, in the 

 Isle of Wight, where we had apartments near the 

 pier. In business-like fashion, I set to work to 

 capture dabs and crabs from the pier-head. My 

 funds, however, being scanty, and good lines, 

 hooks, and leads somewhat costly, I was tempted 

 to commit a base deed ! 



Somebody an angel in the shape of an uncle 

 had previously run down from London, and had 

 given me half a crown. The puritanical nurse 

 who had charge of us knew of this gift and told 

 me solemnly and severely that it was my duty 

 to give one shilling of this "handsome sum "to 

 the collection the following Sunday for the benefit 

 of the Hottentots (or some such folk), on whose 

 behalf a sermon would be preached. 



Silently acquiescing, I determined to keep that 

 same coin in my own possession, and let the 

 Hottentot go to his doom. It so happened that 

 I picked up a foreign coin (nickel probably, but 

 of suitable size and appearance), and this I dropped 

 into the plate, trembling with fear lest the nurse, 

 whose contribution immediately preceded mine, 



