"I don't know as I deserve no credit; it's like playing the organ or walking on a tight rope, the instinct's got to be there or you'll only lay yourself open to ridicule." But truth to tell, fishing was no very subtle art as practised by Mr.
Shrimplin, he merely spat on his bait before he dropped it into the water.

Even Custer knew that every intelligent fisherman did this, you couldn't reasonably hope to catch anything unless you did; yet there seemed to him, when he now thought of it, such a gap between cause and effect that he asked as he warily watched his cork: "What good does it do to spit on your hook ?" "I've forgot the science of it, Custer," admitted his father after a moment's thought.

"But I've always heard old fishermen say you couldn't catch nothing unless you did." "Did you ever try to ?" "I can't say as I ever did.

What would be the use when you know better ?" said Mr.Shrimplin, who was strictly orthodox.

His cork went under and he landed a flopping shiner on the bank; this he took from his hook and tossed back into the water.