A PIKE STORY. 41 



I ran third in the steeple-chase, but I beat 

 the captain, who handed me over two hundred 

 pounds. Years after, on my return to England, 

 I paid a visit to my dark-eyed beauty, then a 

 comely matron with four or five children. Her 

 husband was a capital fellow, one of rny old 

 friends. 



" Ah, Mr. ," she said slyly one evening, 



" do you remember my working you a silk 

 jacket to beat Captain D. at the steeple-chase ? 

 Do you remember being called away to pool ? 

 We nearly committed ourselves. You know 

 you were dreadfully spoony on me, and all 

 through catching the Family Pike." 



NOTE. THE GOLD FISH AND SMELT AS PIKE 



BAITS. 







A fish to spin well we all know should not 

 wobble too much, and a fish not to wobble 

 should be a narrow one, which is generally the 

 case with the male. I have bought many hun- 

 dreds of gold fish for ponds and other purposes. 

 Havre, in Normandy, is a famous place for 

 them ; the price there is about fourpence each. 

 I noticed, when making any purchase, that 



