i AT DAWN OF DAY 17 



angler's float, but concluded that it was not 

 good to eat, and departed back to where the 

 fish-fry live. 



But see, what was it that came up to the 

 surface some ten yards out, rolling mightily, 

 and displaying the tip of a dark fin and a 

 fragment of tail ? That we believe to have 

 been a great carp, for there are a few in the 

 river ; and our friend seems to think so too, 

 for he takes up his big rod and proceeds to 

 change the bait. He first takes off* the 

 hook, and selects another from his tackle- 

 case, a small triangle with sharp bright 

 points. From his creel he takes a little tin, 

 and from the tin a little potato, of the sort 

 that makes lamb and green peas a dish for 

 a king. Then he threads the potato on to 

 the hook with a small baiting-needle until 

 the hook is quite hidden, which is the easier 

 done because the potato has been boiled and 

 is soft. With this new bait he casts forth 

 his line, and it is not impossible that the 

 carp may find it to his taste, for river-carp, 

 though very cunning, may sometimes be 

 deluded in the early morning. 



And now his other float is gone again, 

 and another bream comes to bank. After 



