momentary intrusion upon his solitude resulted in an explosion as sudden
as unreasonable and unexpected.

"Keep back, can't you?" he exclaimed, while the young keeper approached
his side; "who 's going to catch fish with your lanky shadow across the
water?"

Will was up in arms instantly.

"Do 'e think I doan't knaw my business? Theer 's my shadder 'pon the
bank a mile behind you; an' I didn't ope my mouth till you'd fished the
stickle to the bottom and missed two rises."

This criticism angered the elder man, and he freed his tailfly fiercely
from the rush-head that held it.

"Mind your own affairs and get out of my sight, whoever you are. This
river's not what it used to be by a good deal. Over-fished and poached,
and not looked after, I'll swear."

Thus, in ignorance, the sportsman uttered words of all most like to set
Will Blanchard's temper loose--a task sufficiently easy at the best of
times.

"What the hell d' you knaw 'bout the river?" he flamed out. "And as to
'my affairs,' 't is my affairs, an' I be water-bailiff, an' I'll thank
you for the number of your ticket--so now then!"

"What's become of Morgan?" asked the other.