FIN AND FUR ON SURREY HILLS. 75 



"I wonders what noover ye be up tu now," he 

 observed, handing over his fishing-gear. 



After a fresh whipping of the hook on to the 

 gut, I niade a body from a new wine-bottle cork, 

 and securely fixed it on the hook fore and aft. In 

 it I put two small dark beads for the eyes. In 

 place of wings I whipped on the beautifully pencilled 

 tips of the feathers from the wings of the white owl. 

 " Use it just before the dark closes in," I said, in 

 giving the thing to Marksman. 

 ^ He used it with good result. Many a fine trout 

 in that pond was taken by the strange insect, which, 

 when not in requisition, was religiously kept in a 

 domino-box in some cunningly contrived pocket of 

 his old velveteen jacket. No profane eye was 

 allowed to rest on that treasure, and from the date 

 of the unearthly insect's manufacture I rose many 

 inches in Marksman's estimation. It is still treasured 

 up, and when its owner has had a little over three 

 pints of ale he will tell the company that he has 

 "summat in a box as '11 fetch 'em out on it, when 

 it's dark." After another pint, he will state in the 

 most defiant manner, and perfectly unsolicited, " No, I 

 ain't a-goin' tu show it tu nobody, — what du ye think ? 



