DAYS tN t>OVE DALE 29 



Dove " ; how fondly I fished those " rippling 

 currents." I was not in the least discouraged 

 by getting no nibble not the least indication 

 on the part of the fish that they were conscious 

 of the tempting flies I put before them. 



1 had met a venerable old man with an 

 immense fish basket, landing net, and all the 

 other needful impedimenta. He might have 

 been Izaak himself, so deftly did he handle 

 his tools. He asked me how I fared, and 

 I told him that I had caught nothing, but I 

 meant to persevere. He, too, had not been 

 blessed with a nibble. 



Farther on I encountered that young fellow 

 and his charming bride. They had fished all 

 the morning and were now returning trium- 

 phant, having had four rises and two bites ! 

 But this successful young angler rather despises 

 trout fishing. 



" Salmon fishing is the sport I like," said he. 

 " A thirty-pounder at the end of your line, you 

 know, that's the sort of thing for me ! " 



I felt encouraged, determined, in spite of 

 pelting rain, to persevere, and so I plodded 

 on. I should tell you that my genial friend 

 the keeper had put me up to a dodge. 



