Forthesevenyears,fromwhenIwaseighttowhenIwasfifteen,whatIchieflyrememberisfishing.

    Don’tthinkthatIdidnothingelse.It’sonlythatwhenyoulookbackoveralongperiodoftime,certainthioswelluptilltheyovershadoweverythingelse.IleftMotherHowlett’saotheGrammarSchool,withaleathersatchelandablackcapwithyellowstripes,andgotmyfirstbicydalongtimeafterwardsmyfirstlongtrousers.Myfirstbikewasafixed-wheel—free-wheelbikeswereveryexpehen.Whenyouwentdownhillyouputyourfeetuponthefrosahepedalsgowhizzinground.Thatwasohecharacteristicsightsoftheearlyeen-hundreds—aboysailingdownhillwithhisheadbadhisfeetupintheair.IwenttotheGrammarSchoolinfearandtrembling,becauseofthefrightfultalesJoehadtoldmeaboutoldWhiskers(hisnamewasWicksey)theheadmaster,whowascertainlyadreadful-lookinglittleman,withafacejustlikeawolf,andattheendofthebigschoolroomhehadaglasscasewithesinit,whichhe’dsometimestakeoutandswishthroughtheairinaterrifyingmanner.ButtomysurpriseIdidratherwellatschool.IthadneveroccurredtomethatImightbeclevererthanJoe,oyearsolderthanmeandhadbulliedmeeversincehecouldwalk.ActuallyJoewasanutterdutheeaboutonceaweek,andstayedsomewherehebottomoftheschooltillhewassixteen.MysedtermItookaprizeinarithmetidanotherinsomequeerstuffthatwasmostlyedwithpressedflowersabythenameofSdbythetimeIwasfourteenWhiskerswastalkingaboutscholarshipsandReadingUy.Father,whohadambitionsforJoeahosedays,wasveryanxiousthatIshouldgoto‘college’.TherewasanideafloatingroundthatIwastobeaschoolteacheraobeanaueer.

    ButIhaven’tmanymemoriesecte