no ANGLING 



place, Mr. Hopper (whose conduct, by-the-bye, had been most 

 proper and unimpeachable all day) conducted his two angling 

 companions back to the boat, and it having ceased to rain a 

 real good evening's sport was entered upon. In 2 hours and 

 10 minutes Billyboy and Mr. Hopper had caught ten barbel, 

 ranging in weight from 3lbs. to 5lbs. Brown, for some reason, 

 did not catch one : it was his bad luck, and bad luck alone, as 

 he is a good angler. Oh ! that walk home in the dark and in 

 the pouring rain, for the floodgates were opened again as. soon 

 as the homeward journey was started of. And oh ! that awful 

 weight of captured barbel on Mr. Hopper's back ! The climax 

 was reached when one of the bass handles gave way, and 

 barbel after barbel fell to the ground. Mr. Hopper, of course, 

 had to stop and pick them up and mend the bass as best he 

 could, but several times during the journey home the bass gave 

 way, with the result that sundry barbel fell out, and each time 

 Mr. Hopper had to repeat his previous experience of collecting 

 the scattered barbel and repairing the bass. However, the 

 shelter of the friendly hostelry was at length reached, and the 

 barbel being weighed and distributed amongst the villagers, 

 Brown and Mr. Hopper settled down to an evening's cribbage 

 and consoling pipe, until the time arrived when Brown thought 

 it would be prudent, in view of Mrs. B. awaiting his return, to 

 start for his two-mile walk home. 



A little more barbel talk shortly, and then further notes must 

 go over until the 1895 season, should Mr. Hopper still be on 

 the globe to do the penning. 



