TROUT 67 



culty, you intend to try a new cast, and 

 place it on a stone near by while you light 

 a pipe. But the gusts of wind that have 

 effectually disposed of your third match 

 and you have only two left have 

 also blown the cast into a tangle of bram- 

 bles where to find it is impossible. On 

 such days as these one is fortunate who 

 does not, by stepping into an unseen 

 hole, get some water into his waders, 

 where it will gurgle and squeeze for lib- 

 erty with such persistence that there is 

 nothing for it but to remove brogues, 

 socks, and waders, marvelling that such 

 a little drop should prove so uncomfort- 

 able, and swearing at the trouble and loss 

 of time it has involved. If you are not 

 careful, a slippery stone maybe the means 

 of sitting you roughly down in three feet 

 of water, and, inyour efforts to save your- 

 self, the top piece of the rod gets splin- 

 tered and the line tied in a knot at the 

 top of an alder-bush. 



