146 THE FLOWER 



unmentioned for kindly-hearted read- 

 ers' sakes. But presently, with the aid of 

 a light trout rod, the cast, which consists 

 of a Bracken Clock, adorned with a piece 

 of red floss silk at the tail, and a Silver 

 Twist, is deftly pitched so that the tail fly 

 falls gently upon the water j ust where the 

 scum is eddying between the current and 

 the further bank. Then is the grayling's 

 opportunity to display that vigour and 

 dash for which he is so famed, that per- 

 pendicular rise from the depths which 

 so seldom "comes short." Surely the 

 gamest trout that ever leapt for a March 

 Brown, that ever sent an angler's heart 

 into his mouth, must give way in the 

 matter of rising to this little winter fish. 

 For a brief instant, quick as thought, a 

 silver flash appears near the surface of 

 the water and is gone again. Gone, but 

 the little rod has responded and the reel 

 makes music as five, ten, fifteen yards of 

 line follow the racing fish down stream. 



