158 THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 



hardly keep from laughing outright. But 

 Rigings thought he had done wonders. 



All was now settled but the time of starting. 

 Rigings was for going by the boat, and Stick- 

 ings was for walking, to save expense, and 

 Bigings was for walking also, though not to 

 save expense, but because he wished to keep 

 the excursion as secret as possible. He there- 

 fore told them to bear in mind what Walton 

 said about early rising and the dawn of day, 

 and the first part of it being the best time for 

 the fish to feed. And he suggested that they 

 should all walk in old-fashioned style, and start 

 about three o'clock, so that they might get 

 ten or twelve miles out by six. He did this 

 because he knew that very few of the neigh- 

 bours, if any, would be up at that time, and 

 they should get clean away from town long 

 before daylight, and therefore would not be 

 seen. They agreed to the proposal of Bigings, 

 and met at the appointed time, and off they 

 went, leaving their wives to prolong their 

 slumbers until Phoebus should bring on the 

 day. The morning was dark, the clouds low, 

 and the murmuring sound of the atmosphere 

 on the ear seemed to prognosticate anything 

 but a fine day. Onward they prosecuted their 

 journey, the police here and there scrutinising 



