Two Big Pike. 99 



" Robert," says the squire. 



" Yes, sir." 



" The next time you put a fish in the well 

 mind and put a trimmer over the hole." 



Robert was quiet for a moment. 



" Good night, sir. I hope the next time you 

 get your fish in the weeds you won't put your 

 lighted pipe in your pocket." One for Robert. 



Away we went, but had not gone many 

 yards before I heard the squire singing out, 

 and pulled up. 



" Come over to-morrow, and we will try the 

 outlying spinneys and hedgerows for a pheasant 

 or two, and stay to dinner." 



" All right, ril come." 



As I dri\'e home I say to Robert, " Would 

 you rather have a crown or the big fish ? " 



^' You don't mean to part with the fish, sir ? " 



" I am not going to keep it." 



^" Well, if that is the case, I'll have the fish, 

 and proud my missus will be of him." 



I dare say Robert reckoned it as eighteen 

 pounds of fish, at, say, fourpence a pound, 

 that is six shillings. I reckoned him at about 

 sixpence, so I went to bed congratulating 

 myself that I had pleased Robert, got rid of 



