" BOB " AND HIS APPRENTICES 37 



in an apprenticeship to fishing, that the watching 

 of " Bob " helped us to link together. Our question- 

 ing was not looked upon by him as a " plague to 

 elders." 



There were, of course, many little details and 

 operations so puzzling to us that it was only by 

 dint of a good deal of questioning that we could 

 piece them together at all. " Bob " used to talk of 

 inanimate objects as though they were persons, 

 using the pronouns " he " and " she," as is fairly 

 common in the country. He would say of a rod, 

 " She doesn't spring eneugh int' butt," so endowing 

 it with life, and increasing, if possible, our wonder. 



I cannot find words to adequately express and 

 picture our master, but in this simple way, and 

 under his influence, we grew up inspired with the 

 conviction that the Vale of Eden, and the folk at 

 large there, were interesting and all sufficient. 



It is said that the real artist in either words or 

 paint is he who knows when to stop. Now far be 

 it from me to pretend to any distinction of this kind, 

 but there is one finishing touch I must give to these 

 winter evening experiences. 



When " Bob's " wife happened to be out we were 

 wont to wander round the old north country 

 kitchen, and take down from its hook, and actually 

 handle, the old yeomanry sword. We used also 



