152 THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 



Still the beadle plied his arts to bring him 

 over to his way of thinking and feeling, and he 

 at last succeeded to some extent, so that Stick- 

 ings agreed to go with him for a day's sport 

 on some Monday, which was an idle day. He 

 bought, moreover, for the purpose a bamboo- 

 cane, about fourteen feet long, and put some old 

 curtain-rings on it, making it like a rod, and 

 for a line a small ball of fine cord and a good 

 large jack-hook, and converted a bung into a 

 float. 



But Bigings did not like the idea of travel- 

 ling with a companion who would have to 

 carry his rod at full length all the way from 

 home to the water side; it had rather too 

 much hardihood about it. His love for Isaac 

 Walton, and for the sport that Isaac Walton 

 loved, was not strong enough to bear him up 

 against such a torrent of looks, smiles and 

 jeers, as he knew they should have to en- 

 counter as they went along ; for people will 

 trouble their heads with what does not con- 

 cern them. So he suggested to Stickings the 

 propriety of having the bamboo cut into four 

 pieces, and having it ferruled, and then it 

 would make a proper rod, and he would 

 pay the expense. This was done accordingly 



