xiv A SUBURBAN FISHERY 259 



with himself, his friend and the keeper, and 

 generally failed to conceal the pride that 

 was in him. Then, the first glow of 

 triumph over, he remembered that his lun- 

 cheon awaited him at an adjacent hostelry, 

 and went off in a condition of great benevo- 

 lence to consume it. 



The other brother returned to his rod 

 and ate meditative sandwiches with renewed 

 hope ; if one veteran had taken the earth- 

 worm intended for barbel and bream, why 

 not another ? For some time he angled on 

 confidently ; it seemed certain that he would 

 have a bite in a minute. But somehow the 

 bite came not, and an insidious doubt began 

 to creep into his mind. Were there any 

 veterans in his corner of the pool ? If there 

 were no veterans he could not expect bites. 

 He looked across at his friend's corner ; the 

 eddy there certainly had a better appearance 

 than his own. What if all the veterans 

 lived in it ? To cut a long story of mental 

 strife short, he decided that he would make 

 a trial of the other corner while the absent 

 brother feasted, and he accordingly removed 

 himself, his rod and his sandwiches, and 

 became confident once more. 



