h?"

"Not at all. But you seem so familiar with the spot, I wish you could
tell me why that ladder leading down to the water is lashed against the
stonework in yonder corner."

"That ladder," said the young man, brightening at the question-"why, the
position, perhaps the very existence, of that ladder resulted from my
meditations in the Reservoir, at which you smiled just now. Shall I tell
you all about them?"

"Pray do."

"Well, you have seen the notice forbidding any one to fish in the
Reservoir. Now, when I read that warning, the spirit of the thing struck
me at once as inferring nothing more than that one should not sully
the temperance potations of our citizens by steeping bait in it, of any
kind; but you probably know the common way of taking pike with a slip
noose of delicate wire. I was determined to have a touch at the fellows
with this kind of tackle.

"I chose a moonlight night; and an hour before the edifice was closed
to visitors, I secreted myself within the walls, determined to pass the
night on the top. All went as I could wish it. The night proved cloudy,
but it was only a variable drift of broken clouds which obscured the
moon. I had a walking cane-rod with me which would reach to the margin
of the water, and several feet beyond if necessary. To this was attached
the wire, about fifteen inches in length.

"I prowled along the parapet for a considerable time, but not a single
fish could I see. The clouds made a flickering light and shade, that
wholly foiled my steadfast gaze. I was convinced that should they come
up thicker, my whole night's venture would be thrown away. 'Why should
I not descend the sloping wall and get nearer on a level with the fish,
for thus alone can I hope to see one?' The question had hardly shaped
itself in my mind before I had one leg over the iron railing.

"If you look around you will see now that there are some half-dozen
weeds growing here and there, amid the fissures of the solid masonry. In
one of the fissures from whence these spring, I planted a foot and began
my descent. The Reservoir was fuller than it is now, and a few strides
would have carried me to the margin of the water. Holding on to the
cleft above, I felt round with one foot for a place to plant it below
me.

"In that moment the flap of a pound pike made me look round, and the
roots of the weed upon which I partially depended gave way as I was in
the act of turning. Sir, one's senses are sharpened i