4o ANGLING 



feeling too solitary. Towards the end of the following week, 

 Twynkles confidentially remarked to Mr. Hopper that he was 

 strongly of opinion Mr. Butt's pond would be much benefitted 

 by another visit from our two worthy selves, and Mr. Hopper 

 feeling no disinclination to fall in with those views, expressed 

 himself in readiness to be on the war path against the finny 

 tribe at the same time on Saturday morning, feeling very 

 strongly that " the early bird catches the worm." Accordingly, 

 on Saturday morning by half-past six, the pond side again 

 found Twynkles and Mr. Hopper there, bent on business. Mr. 

 Oaktree was also up betimes to see some of the rice pudding 

 and treacle sauce business, and he was again afforded an 

 ample opportunity of seeing "how it was done," for at the 

 close of the day's programme 26 of the " yellow 'uns " had left 

 their watery home at Thoresby. Twynkles had his revenge on 

 Mr. Hopper, as the latter's heap only amounted to u, whilst 

 Twynkles was responsible for 15. Twynkles literally fed 

 the neighbourhood of the Bull-ring on tench for two or three 

 days, whilst, as before stated, Mr. Hopper placed 10 of his 

 catch in the Park lake. 



It will probably be asked whether Mr. Hopper, in the 

 course of his angling experiences has come off entirely scot 

 free in the matter of accidents ? Well, not quite. Two years 

 ago Mr. Hopper had a nasty spill which might have seriously 

 affected his spinal cord. How did that happen, Mr. Hopper? 

 As nearly as Mr. Hopper's memory will serve him, it would 

 be about the beginning of October when he, along with Master 

 Hopper, Uncle Peter (this is a new character, a wily old 

 brother-in-law of Mr. Hopper's), and Twynkles, decided on an 

 outing to Austen Fen Bridge, on the Louth and Tetney 

 Navigation. To North Thoresby by rail, and then in Mr. 

 Eyesax's trap to Austen Fen. A good day's fishing resulted, 

 the best part of 300 being landed ; but it was little thought that 

 Mr. Eyesax would land his passengers where he did on the 

 return journey to Thoresby station. The start from Austen 

 Fen was made about twenty minutes to seven, and in about 

 twenty minutes a heavy black cloud completely fastened its 



