. ODD FISH. 289 



cation ensued, and put an end to his 

 existence in a few days. 



Sir Astley then reverted to Hertford- 

 shire, and asked me if I had seen my 

 friend' at Redbourn lately. I told him 

 that I had lost sight of him for a long 

 time. 



"Pray," asked he, "did he ever pay 

 you for the buck you procured for him 

 from the duke of Grafton's keeper at 

 \\Tiittlebuiy Forest?" 



I said, that in the hurry of his de- 

 parture I supposed he must have forgotten 

 it ; but that I freely forgave him ; adding, 

 that the doctor was a good fellow in the 

 main, though fortune had been hard with 

 him, and that, in his own nautical lan- 

 guage, he was altogether an odd fish. 



Sir Astley again put on one of his 

 good-natured smiles. He enquired the 

 origin of our acquaintance, which I frankly 

 told him. He listened with great atten- 



TOL. II. U 



