AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 5 7 



spaniel, when shooting with me, made the game 

 break cover on my side, and when the single-barrel, 

 muzzle-loading gun was fired she would come 

 through the hedge to gather the spoil. She would 

 not readily believe I had missed, and when it 

 became manifest to her that I had, she walked 

 close to heel, a sorrowing creature, and we both 

 knew that this was not to be one of our most 

 successful days. Is it not wise when we make a 

 bad start to pause awhile, readjust our feelings, 

 and try to make a sort of fresh beginning ? 



Had I only practised what I preach, I might 

 not have so completely wrecked a day I fished at 

 St. Ives. I had promised to proceed by an early 

 train to St. Ives to fish with a friend who had gone 

 down over-night. I was at King's Cross much too 

 soon, and waited patiently for the train to come in 

 or be made up at the usual platform. As the clock 

 came to the starting-time I ventured to ask why it 

 did not appear, and learned that it was starting 

 from a suburban traffic platform that morning. Off 

 I rushed, and got there in time to see it just at 

 the end of its platform well started. I had to wait 

 for an hour for the next train, which would take me 

 on to Peterborough, whence I must train back to 

 St. Ives. 



As I passed the river at St. Ives, on the journey 

 down, I looked towards the spot where my friend 

 had said I should find him fishing. I waved my 

 handkerchief to him, and he responded. I soon got 



