132 DAYS AMONG THE PIKE AND PERCH 



the Dubbs, we hit a good fish deep down. I calculated 

 that bait must have been at least ten feet deep when he 

 took it, and he went along the bottom with the steady, 

 dogged pull of a cart-horse, making me think my heaviest 

 jack of all was hooked ; but the heavy water proved de- 

 ceptive, and when I finally stuck the gaff-hook under his 

 chin, I was pleased to find it was the biggest of the day, 

 nearly eight pounds. 



During the day I hooked two more, one on the Devon ; 

 but that jack jumped loose at his first spring, in spite of 

 the four trebles that adorned that bait. I always fancied 

 a quantity of trebles on a spinning bait was a source of 

 disaster. It was a long day, and a long walk that we have 

 been together this time, and the bag only contained three 

 pike going eighteen pounds ; but kindly Mrs. Dixon of 

 the Bridge Inn will give me a good old country welcome, 

 and a comfortable bed, and also see that my fish are put 

 on the cold slab of the larder ; and after supper, and five 

 games of cribbage with old Charlie Hudson, we sleep the 

 sleep of the just, well content with our day with an arti- 

 ficial among the pike of the Trent. 



