88 How I Became a Sportsmax. 



dozen good-sized dace on gorge hooks, we were 

 about to start, when I observed that Robert 

 had something on his mind, for he kept on 

 looking first at the squire and then at me, when 

 at last I said, " What is it, Robert ? out with it." 

 "Hadn't us better put out a few trimmers, sir r" 

 We could not help laughing, but it was said 

 in Robert's quietest and most insinuating tone, 

 and as we knew the owner of the pond wanted 

 to destroy the jack (as he was going to try 

 the experiment of stocking it with trout), we 

 could not resist, and let the old man have his 

 way. He used gudgeon for his trimmers, as 

 they were tougher, and Hved longer on the 

 hook, and, as he said, played better than the 

 dace — play, indeed ! it must be a very fine 

 game of play, impaled upon a hook with a 

 prospect of being immediately devoured alive. 

 In case any of my readers should not know 

 what a trimmer is, I may as well explain it. 

 The trimmer consists of a round piece of cork 

 about an inch thick and six inches in diameter; 

 a piece of wood about four inches long is put 

 through the centre ; the cork is usually painted 

 red on the under side and white on the top ; 

 a line of whip-cord from ten to fifteen yards is 



