THE INVENTOR AND HIS WADERS 447 



and rather unfortunately for himself, as it proved, 

 informed everyone at dinner the first night that he 

 had invented a new pattern of waders, and intended 

 to try them the next day. He described how verv 

 advantageous his invention was, inasmuch as the 

 waders, unlike the ordinary pattern, were made to 

 button up the front, like 'trews/ Everyone present 

 managed to keep countenance, and the next morn- 

 ing went out to see the invention tried, and found 

 it a difficult matter to avoid roaring with laughter as 

 the inventor proceeded to put on his garments, the 

 whole performance savouring of ' Fribbles ' in che 

 Tommiebeg sporting. Having ' got them on,' our 

 hero proceeded to enter the pool with a somewhat 

 stately air, previously casting out some two yards of 

 line, when one of the bystanders exclaimed : ' If you 

 want to get fish you must go in much deeper, for they 

 lie far out.' By degrees our friend was observed to 

 appear a trifle uncomfortable, and gradually his waders 

 filled. It was a bitterly cold day in March. ' Help!' 

 he cried, ' or I shall be drowned !' and though he was 

 but in little more than three feet of water, he could 

 hardly drag himself out, amidst the roars of laughter 

 which greeted him. However, I am forced to admit 

 he bore it all very well, and put the best face on the 

 matter he could. 



I could fill pages with accounts of the curious and 

 absurd things I have seen happen at times, but I will 

 forbear to do so from a feeling of charity to my 

 neighbours, and so leave them untold. 



When the water has been high and dirty, I have 

 killed pike with a ' Silver Doctor ' of an inch and a 

 half in length. Some years ago, when I was on the 



