1 84 FLY-FISHING IN MAINE LAKES. 



the ice ; it's apt to give 'em the rheumatics and 

 sich ; but once in a while a party, they does come 

 down. (Beg yer pardon, ma'am ! Oh ! he won't 

 bite : he only barks.) And, when they do, they 

 usually makes a haul. There was two chaps come 

 down last winter when she first froze up, and sot 

 twenty lines, and carried off nigh two hundred as 

 pretty creeturs as ever you saw; but they ain't 

 many of 'em as likes the fun." 



"Well, sir, I rather enjoy such sport in the 

 winter, and I may get up a party, and come down 

 and try them ; and, by the way, if you will keep 

 this rather quiet you live near here, I judge? " 



" Oh, yes ! close yonder, right by the pond." 



"Well, take this, and buy something for the 

 babies." 



" I'm 'fraid you're too generous ; but mum's the 

 word. I sha'n't know nothing about the fishing 

 arter this." 



Now, Thomas is not an unbelieving Thomas, as 

 was he of old, nor does he forget any thing in a 

 hurry ; and that night, though one of the warm- 

 est of last summer's many warm ones, he .woke 

 his wife calling for more blankets, dreaming, en- 

 thusiastic soul, that already he stood, with a happy 

 party, around the dark, bubbling holes, anxiously 

 waiting for the tiny^ag to give timely notice of the 

 first bite. 



