Two Big Pike. 87 



shoulder, called out, "Whose place is this, 

 my good man ?" '' It belongs to your humble 

 servant, and if you like to go up to the house 

 I dare say you can get a glass of sherry." 

 The diminished swell mumbled some almost 

 unintelligible apology, and took himself off as 

 fast as he could go. 



We duly arrived at the pond, and having 

 put up our horse at a neighbouring farm- 

 house, we carried our impedimenta down to 

 the boat-house and embarked. The fog had 

 cleared off, leaving one of those fine, still 

 days without much sun, what I call a brown- 

 looking day, we so frequently get in October 

 — the month I like best of any in the year. 



The pond was about half-a-mile long, by 

 from two to three hundred yards wide, and 

 looked all over like pike-fishing. We did 

 not lose sight of the hamper, but took it 

 with us into the punt. The punt was a 

 very roomy one, which there was no fear of 

 upsetting, fiat-bottomed, and with very little 

 appreciable difference between the stem and 

 stern ; in fact, a regular fishing-punt. Bia is 

 told off to the anything but pleasing duty of 

 pulling her ; and after having prepared half-a- 



