132 A Sportsman at Large 



Well, we had a fine catch to display at Glenshee that night. 

 When laid out on a spacious tea-tray these bonny fishes were 

 a sight for the gods. Greatly did they delight the eyes of 

 our respective C.O.'s, whose minds were set on rations, for 

 hitherto our provisions had proved somewhat monotonous, 

 since " the Glorious Twelfth " was still a week ahead. 



' Teddy," said I, that evening, as we sat over our pipes in 

 my study, " that was a dirty trick we played on old Mac- 

 Mush ! " 



" Not a bit of it, Cockie," replied my sportive pal indignantly. 

 ' The old blighter does not fish himself. Those trout are no 

 use to him. Lely and ourselves are the only ones he has ever 

 permitted to cast a line on his muddy pond." 



" All the more reason we should have shown our gratitude, 

 instead of surreptitiously decimating his stock." 



" Oh rats ! He ought to be grateful ! The water is over- 

 stocked ; besides, the trout devour the food which should 

 go to fatten his ducks and geese. His economical heart should 

 greatly rejoice that we have saved the waste ! " 



I had to be content. It was no good crying over spilt milk. 



My conscience tells me that I erred sadly. 



But oh ! what a day ! And, certes, those stolen trout 

 did taste sweet ! in spite of the murky consistency of the Tin- 

 spoon water. 



Nevertheless, I firmly refused to make further application 

 to the despoiled Laird for the fishing of his astounding lakelet. 



But Teddy, nothing daunted, added insult to injury, for he 

 had the effrontery to ride over to Tinspoon on his bicycle 

 in the hope of wangling yet another day out of the dour Scot ; 

 but all to no purpose. Whether the good MacNair had be- 

 come wise to our deceit, and in spite of my douceur had " blown 

 the gaff," or whether " Tinspoon " himself was just fed up 

 with our importunities, who shall say ! Anyway, Master Teddy 

 met with a flat and uncompromising refusal, and returned to 

 Glenshee a sadder, if not wiser, man. 



When I asked him how he had fared, he replied laconically, 

 with an expression common to those of his cult : 



" I got the bird, old chap ! " 





