120 WHA T I HAVE SEEN WHILE FISHING 



to be appealed to for my opinion. Luckily I was 

 able to take a neutral position by pleading that my 

 little Pat was such a trifle of skin and bones that 

 his cost per day must be too trifling to mention. 

 But I was not to escape so easily. The doctor, 

 quick-witted man, saw a chance of showing his wife 

 what other fellows pay for gillies and how really 

 economical he was. So, after a pause, he turned 

 to me and said, " If it be a fair question, Mr. Geen, 

 I should much like to know what this day has cost 

 you in this matter of gillies ? " 



I could not fail to see the anticipation of 

 triumph with which he looked over to his wife to 

 see that she was ready to catch every shilling there 

 should be in my answer. 



My reply was a reminiscence recalled by the 

 very words of the apologetic sentence with which 

 he had started his appeal to me : 



" Well, doctor ; many years since when I was 

 in Sheffield I found that the secretary of the 

 Sheffield Anglers' Association was also secretary 

 of one of the Trade Unions. With a too great 

 curiosity, I asked, ' If it be a fair question, Mr. 

 Styring, what funds have your Union in hand ? ' 

 His answer was, ' Nay, lad, nay ! I would not tell 

 my own lass that/ " 



I was well rewarded for my neutrality in this 

 battle royal. Mrs. Doctor beamed on me, and her 

 daughters smiled towards my son, who was busy 

 winking to Master Doctor. After that all eyes 



