THE BASSES: FRES H-W ATER AND MARINE 



his heart aids his brain and muscles. Take Tuck 

 for an example. You both know him. His head 

 is clear on all angling points, and his fingers are 

 deft at dressing a fly. He is full of effective pros 

 and cons. He has got the wrist movement down 

 to a turn, and can show it beautifully on a broom- 

 stick or cane; but the knack leaves him just as 

 soon as he steps into the stream, and his flies fall 

 kerslosh all in a bunch when he attempts to 

 cast; and with all this he can talk us all adrift 

 about how to do it; yet you both know that he is 

 the veriest bungler that ever worried a pool. 

 What's the reason? Simply this: The man has 

 gone into angling just as a swell goes into a club. 

 It 's the thing, you know! But his heart is not in 

 it, and his nerves and muscles have n't got enough 

 loving electricity about them." 



It was now about half -past six, and the sun still 

 shone over the river, except on the right bank, 

 where it was shaded by a dense growth of trees; 

 hence the Doctor had the advantage of position. 

 Mendy, in the middle of the stream, had a show 

 at the edge of the shadows, while Gills fished in 

 the broad glare, yet aided materially by the scurry- 

 ing gusts that swept the surface of the pools. 



Across the river, starting at the point at which 

 the three anglers entered it, a line of rocks ex- 

 tended, which at half -stage of the stream were 



94 



