ON THE THAMES. 317 



skin ; he must be Very excitable to dance to such 

 porcine music. Play up, boy," we cried ; " never 

 mind the cows." An answer rude, and decidedly not 

 classical, from our Chertsey Tityrus, put an abrupt 

 end to our conversation. We then anchored for lunch 

 under a bush. "While washing a glass I saw an appari- 

 tion in among the weeds, not six inches from us, in 

 the form of Master Jack, who lay, apparently half- 

 asleep, and I am sure laughing at us. " Well, that is 

 impertinence. Look at the fellow ; we have been 

 fishing for him all day, and now the rascal comes to 

 lunch with us." " Of course he does," said P. ; " the 

 fish about here are wonderfully well-bred and highly 

 civilised I assure you ; they require introductions be- 

 fore they make friends. I like a good rustic fish now 

 regular unsophisticated fellows that don't know what 

 a hook is, nor yet the smell of cobbler's wax, or fish- 

 ing-tackle makers' varnish. But see if he'll eat veal- 

 pie . . . ungrateful brute, he refuses it he's off. 

 Never mind, we will eat it. This is very pleasant 

 though ; I feel quite poetical. Give me another glass 

 of sherry, Harris. I say, do you recollect Tennyson's 

 charming lines about the brook ? How well they de- 

 scribe this little gravelly shallow 



" I wind about, and in and out, 

 With here a blossom sailing, 

 And here and there a lusty trout, 

 And here and there a grayling." . . . 



