PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 119 



connect the Fulton chain of lakes. I was having 

 excellent sport; almost every cast met with a 

 response, and my creel was becoming unpleasantly 

 weighty with its precious burden. Just as I had 

 reached the margin of a favorite pool from which 

 I had never failed to beguile a half dozen large 

 fish, I observed in the near distance a clever fel- 

 low who was passionately fond of the sport, but 

 who, having no skill, had no " luck." " I don't 

 understand it," was his stereotyped bewailment. 

 And just here was his trouble ; he did not " under- 

 stand it." He persisted in whipping the stream 

 with a line of four-fold the proper dimensions, and 

 made his casts with a rod equally out of propor- 

 tion. I, however, liked his pluck and patience, 

 and seeing my opportunity to do him a favor, I 

 invited him to take my place at the pool into 

 which I was about to cast. Although this hap- 

 pened twenty years ago I have not to this day 

 been quite able to decide whether (remembering 

 the sequel) I did a generous or a foolish thing in 

 thus surrendering my prerogative to one who, how- 

 ever grateful, proved himself illy qualified to make 

 the best possible use of his opportunity. His huge 

 sinker fell into the water with a splash, carrying 

 with it a number-nine hook covered with a full 

 half ounce of wriggling worms, when it was at 

 once seized by a three-pound trout, which in an- 



