128 A Sportsman at Large 



I was once an honoured guest at the annual dinner of a 

 certain illustrious angling society. 



The president, in reply to the speech in which he had been 

 toasted, told the following yarn : 



" Strange things happen to anglers," he said. ' There 

 was the case of the enthusiast who, fishing below Marlow 

 Lock, hooked a ten-pound pike. It happened that at the 

 moment he was holding in his fist a golden sovereign (it was 

 in those good old days when such pleasant coins of the realm 

 were in free circulation), which he had been about to transfer 

 to the horny hand of the fisherman, for the purpose of obtain- 

 ing liquid refreshment from ' The Com pleat Angler/ when 

 the run in question occurred. In his excitement he dropped 

 the glittering coin which, rebounding from the gunwale, fell 

 into the water and went shimmering and glinting into the 

 depths just as Mr. Esox Lucius, with a shake of his ponderous 

 jaws, snapped himself free and disappeared. So the angler 

 lost both his fish and his ' quid.' 



" Now, mark you, he had been fishing below the lock on 

 that occasion, but a few days later he decided to try his luck 

 above it hard by the weir. 



" He had not been fishing long before he had a lovely run, 

 and on striking, found himself fast in a good fish, which, on 

 being landed, proved to be a pike of ten and a quarter 

 pounds, in excellent condition. 



" It was, in due course, handed to his cook for culinary 

 purposes ; when, on being gutted, what think you was found 

 in its maw ? " 



" Why, the sovereign which your friend had lost below 

 Marlow Lock, of course." This from a chorus of voices. 



" Not on your life," corrected the speaker. " No ! There 

 was a half sovereign, nine shillings and sixpence in silver, 

 two pence in bronze and A LOCK TICKET ! " 



There was a hearty guffaw from the guests assembled. 



The president assumed a pained and reproachful ex- 

 pression. 



" Perhaps you don't believe me ? " he murmured sadly. 



I rose to my feet. 



" Indeed, sir, I do ! " I exclaimed seriously. / can vouch 



