152 AN ANGLER AT LARGE 



had not yet put down abandoned its meal and 

 that part of the Clere. 



The Blennerhassett followed its wake with an 

 approving eye. " That's a tidy one," he said. I 

 assented. " I saw him yesterday," he said. " So 

 did I," I replied, wondering if he knew of the two- 

 pounder that feeds under the alder just above 

 that hatch. " Have you," he went on, " such a 

 thing as a light about you ? I've left my damned 

 box at home." I handed him my box of safeties. 

 He lit a cigarette, absolutely thanking me. T 

 have seldom been more gratified. " Done any- 

 thing ? " he asked. I said that I never did any- 

 thing. He informed me that he had only 

 been on the water half an hour, but that he 

 had a fish. I murmured my delight. He 

 opened his basket and exhibited a trout. It 

 was plainly undersized. " This," he said, " is the 

 third damned trout I've had out of this damned 



river." 



Now what is to be said of a man who can damn 

 the Clere ? Whatever it is I did not say it. But I 

 observed that he seemed to have had a poor season. 

 Indeed, I knew as much, for Joe has kept me 

 abreast of the doings of my fellow-rods. He said 

 he had. I waited for him still further to qualify 

 his season. I was not disappointed. "A damned 

 poor one," he said. " What fly do you generally 



