FIRST BLOOD AT SALMON-FISHING. 33 



placing the pannier on the grass, the contents were 

 turned out, a grilse and some nice sea trout. 



"What!" said Ward; "you did not kill these 

 yourself?" 



"That I did, every one of them, and lost a bigger 

 than any." 



" Alas! thereby hangs a tale," chuckled the Major. 

 " It was the first fish that rose, and Fred was flurried, 

 broke the top joint of his rod, and lost him ; but he 

 did well with mine after. He will make a brave 

 angler ; won't you, Fred ? " 



" I mean to try hard : and you were very patient 

 with me, Major." 



" And I suppose I must say you are a tractable 

 pupil so far." 



Our bag being turned out to Fred's infinite amaze- 

 ment ; he stared for a while, but the small varmint 

 did not refrain from quietly asking Archie "where 

 he had left the net ? " 



We now set off home straight across the hill, and 

 arrived about seven o'clock ; and half an hour after 

 sat down to table in great content : and having dined, 

 every one settled into the most comfortable lounge he 

 could arrange. Freddy in particular, buried in a 

 great arm-chair, with a great glass of claret beside 



D 



