30 EXPERIENCES OF SPORT, 



" My dear Charlie," he began, " how the deuce 

 could you be so foolish ? I do not like this sort 

 of a thing, upon my soul I don't ; I told you 

 before, D. is always on the look out for such 

 young fry as you. This infernal fish is not to 

 be caught, and these bets breed ill feeling, 

 and all that sort of thing. You are a good 

 fisherman, I know, and a good sportsman for 

 your age, but this fish has beat 'cuter hands 

 than you are. Now do you go down to Bridges 

 to-morrow morning you know where he lives, 

 at the end of the village ; he is the only man 

 who can put you up to anything to tempt this 

 fresh water shark. " 



Bridges, or the " major" as he was usually 

 called, was an old half-pay officer a bachelor, 

 and a rare fisherman. I knew him slightly, and 

 on the morrow presented myself at his breakfast 

 hour, and found him busy in setting up a flight 

 of hooks. 



After having given him the outlines of my 

 business, the old gentleman said, 



" My lad, look here, this fish has been worked 

 at again and again, I have never had a shy at 

 the fellow myself, but I feel quite certain he is 



