AN UNFORTUNATE DAY. 49 



outright. Let me tell it, and, if my readers fail to 

 see the connecting-link, study Darwin, for my little 

 incident relates to a " tale." A superintendent of 

 a certain Sunday' school, in the vicinity of the 

 " Hub," was speaking to the scholars, at the close 

 of the exercises, of the lesson for the day, which 

 was the story of the Israelites' making brick with 

 straw. As he came to the oppression of Pharaoh, 

 in demanding the same tale of bricks when no 

 straw was supplied as before, he asked the question 

 of the scholars, "What is meant by the tale of 

 bricks? " At once a bright little fellow held up his 

 hand, and answered, "A piece of straw sticking 

 out of the end of a brick." 



Returning to camp, I told the story of my loss ; 

 as was expected, only smiles and ridicule for my 

 carelessness from those to whom I naturally should 

 have looked for sympathy. Our guides only, 

 showed sorrow for my misfortune, and would have 

 swam the stream in undress-uniform had there 

 been a forlorn hope of a recovery. Later, however, 

 Charlie came round, and compromised the matter 

 by offering me the use of his fly-book. Not hav- 

 ing had any luck himself during the day, he de- 

 clined going to Trout Cove in the afternoon ; but 

 as towards sundown a little breeze sprang up, I de- 

 termined to try it again, as the time for our leaving 

 camp was fast approaching. 



