I50 ANGLING SKETCHES 



usually ' puts down ' the trout and prevents them 

 from feeding. In that case his alarm was prema- 

 ture. I marched homewards, happ}- with the 

 unaccustomed weight of my basket, the contents 

 of which were a welcome change from the usual 

 porridge and potatoes, tea (without milk), jam, 

 and scones of the shepherd's table. But, as I 

 reached the height above the loch on m}- westward 

 path, and looked back to see if rising fish were 

 dimpling the still waters, all flushed as thej- were 

 \\'ith sunset, behold, there was the Other j\lan at 

 work again ! 



I should have thought no more about him had 

 I not twice afterwards seen him at a distance, 

 fishing up a ' lane ' ahead of me, in the loneliest 

 regions, and thereby, of course, spoiling xvcy sport. 

 I knew him by his peculiar stoop, which seemed 

 not unfamiliar to me, and by his hat, which was 

 of the clerical pattern once known, perhaps still 

 known, as ' a Bible-reader's ' — a low, soft, slouched 

 black felt. The second time that I found him 

 thus anticipating me, I left off fishing and \\'alked 

 rather briskly towards him, to satisf)- m}' curiosit)-. 



