BLANK DAYS. 87 



actual net having doubled itself across the rim 

 in the shape of a tennis bat. He might have 

 been thrown out. He was a splendid two 

 pounder : the other weighed i Ib. 14 oz. at the 

 Post Office counter. 



Still, this skirmish in the dusk raised the 

 thermometer of one's feelings ten degrees and 

 elicited an opinion from the Postmaster which 

 surprised me more than I could say. " That 

 is the best trout I have ever weighed on these 

 scales." While recollecting this I had better 

 add a codicil to say that the lost two pounder 

 was possibly an ounce or two less, though I 

 honestly do not think so. I can see the 

 hiatus in the muddy bank now in my mind's 

 eye and gauge his weight on the net. 



