AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 297 



much gone, indeed ! " will be echoed by those 

 who care to read the following paragraph. 



Mr. Edwards, at that time the genial host and 

 treasurer of the Battersea Friendly Angling Society, 

 having been fortunate enough to obtain an order 

 to fish that splendid reach of the Colne known 

 as Doctor Meadows' water, decided to invite a 

 very old friend to participate in the day's sport. 

 Happy is the man who has a trusty friend with 

 whom to share such double-handed pleasures. 



Great were the preparations that preceded the 

 start so great indeed, that no room was left for 

 the necessary lunch. " Good idea ! my waiter 

 shall bring it down to us by the mid-day train," 

 said the host. And the waiter did, and nicely he 

 laid it out on the snow-white cloth which was 

 stretched on the river's bank. Nothing was 

 wanting, every etcetera was in its place, and 

 there sat the lucky two, with appetites as keen 

 as December winds and fair sport could make 

 them, doing the fullest justice to the waiter's 

 spread, while he stood near with watchful eyes 

 and ready hand for the signal to open that other 

 bottle. The word was given, the cork flew out, 

 glasses were filled, and then with two steps 

 backward, and a bow the waiter's gone ! gone 

 into the deep, well-baited hole from which the fish 

 had come. 



The sly, foxy, Mole bream have put me on 

 my mettle. Once I determined to wait upon 



