THE ARM OF THE LAW 129 
licences, and if he is given discretion—which he 
is not likely to abuse—then, when he is satisfied 
that no trickery is intended, he will in all probability 
sell you the licence on the spot. 
But, if you defy the Law, if you begin 
bandying words, or in any way transgress against 
the code of a gentleman, temporary or otherwise, 
then you are “for it.” These water-bailiffs serve 
under important chairmen, with pretty blue blood 
in their veins, and, moreover, the Board of Con- 
servators has a learned clerk to whom they 
report. They know a gentleman and a sports- 
man, and how he should behave, and frankly, 
and rightly, they will not have any nonsense. 
From instinct, discipline, and training they know 
how to do their duty, and they seldom make 
mistakes. I remember once conversing with a 
water-bailiff in a famous fishing district, a splendid 
man of the old school, and I asked him if ever 
he had trouble with fishermen. His reply was 
quaint: “No, sir, not as long as they take out 
their licence, and behave like gentlemen, and 
agree with me.” Personality tells ! 
If in England and Wales you fished succes- 
sively through the spring, summer, and autumn 
seasons, and visited a different river each week, 
you would come within the jurisdiction of a good 
many different Boards of Conservators, and would 
have to take out a good many licences, The cost 
of these licences varies, but it does not amount to 
much for trout-fishing in most cases, though a 
salmon licence costs an appreciable sum, usually 
K 
