["The uncertainty as to the course of business, justifies, to
a certain extent, the criticisms of Sir WILLIAM HARCOURT and
Mr. LABOUCHERE, upon the proceedings of the Government."--_The
Times_.]
_B-lf-r_. Humph! Shifting ground again! I did think we were in for a
quiet swim and good sport.
"Oh! the jolly angler's life
Is the beat of any!"
Yes, that's all very fine, IZAAK. But it depends upon your pitch--and
your companions. I say, G-SCH-N, what _are_ you up to? Don't let the
punt swing round like that, man, I was nearly over, and my tackle's
fouled.
_G-sch-n_ (_struggling with pole_). All very well for you to sit
coolly there and criticise me, ARTHUR! _Wh-o-o-of!_ Confound the punt,
it's all over the place, and the stream's like a mill-race.
_B-lf-r_. Well, hold on to the pole, JOKIM, or we shall be all adrift.
We'd better have kept to our first pitch; it _was_ quiet there, and
we hooked one or two sizeable ones. (_Aside._) Fact is, you're such a
fidget, you lose your fish, and then want to change the pitch.
_G-sch-n_ (_aside_). That's right, grumble, grumble! Dawdling duffer,
he sprawls across the well in one of his infernal aesthetic attitudes,
picks the best swim, and girds at us who have to handle the poles.
Wonder SM-TH stands it.
Pages:
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35