FISHING EXTRAORDINARY. 51 



" We will tell you when we return/' was our 

 reply, " on the condition that you do not impart 

 the secret to him." 



" That I readily promise," she said ; " but you 

 must make haste, or your fish will arrive too late 

 for dinner." 



Now whether inoculated with our host's well- 

 known liberal ideas, or naturally of independent 

 spirits, it matters not now to examine; it may 

 suffice to state, that, as boys, we were disposed to 

 entertain very liberal views, and to consider game 

 and the finny tribe as fercB natures, and the legi- 

 timate property of the captor ; in conformity with 

 these opinions, having traps and nets, sub rosd, to 

 ensnare both game and fish. Within half an hour, 

 therefore, of leaving her ladyship's presence, we 

 were up to our necks in a back stream, which we 

 knew to be tenanted by some fine trout. Our 

 modus operandi was to place one net with a deep 

 bag at the lower extremity of the water we in- 

 tended drawing, and with a lighter one we com- 

 menced dragging down to it, poking under the 

 banks as we proceeded with a long pole, and 

 muddying the water as much as possible. The 

 experiment resulted in a grand haul of some two 

 dozen splendid trout, besides smaller fry, which 

 being thrown back into the stream, we set off" im- 



E 2 



