Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           So,eventually,hemadeonefinalarrangementwithhimself,whichhehasreligiouslyheldtoeversince,andthatwastocounteachfishthathecaughtasten,andtoassumetentobeginwith. Forexample,ifhedidnotcatchanyfishatall,thenhesaidhehadcaughttenfish—youcouldnevercatchlessthantenfishbyhissystem;thatwasthefoundationofit. Then,ifbyanychancehereallydidcatchonefish,hecalledittwenty,whiletwofishwouldcountthirty,threeforty,andsoon. 

           Itisasimpleandeasilyworkedplan,andtherehasbeensometalklatelyofitsbeingmadeuseofbytheanglingfraternityingeneral. Indeed,theCommitteeoftheThamesAngler’sAssociationdidrecommenditsadoptionabouttwoyearsago,butsomeoftheoldermembersopposedit. Theysaidtheywouldconsidertheideaifthenumberweredoubled,andeachfishcountedastwenty. 

           Ifeveryouhaveaneveningtospare,uptheriver,Ishouldadviseyoutodropintooneofthelittlevillageinns,andtakeaseatinthetap-room. Youwillbenearlysuretomeetoneortwooldrod-men,sippingtheirtoddythere,andtheywilltellyouenoughfishystories,inhalfanhour,togiveyouindigestionforamonth.