134 ANGLING & ART IN SCOTLAND 



own way home, as ^e was not coming out again 

 that day. 



Perhaps it looked more alarming than was really 

 the case. But at any rate the spray swept in sheets 

 over the launch, drenching our skipper to the skin. 

 He still, however, held on manfully to the wheel, 

 with a grim smile on his face, expressive of joy 

 at our discomfiture. Meanwhile, the unfortunate 

 rowing-boat, which bobbed about like a cork in 

 our wake, was shipping much water ; and, added 

 to this, we felt a vague fear, should many more 

 waves break over the launch, that the engine fire 

 might be extinguished. However, I have no thrill- 

 ing tale of shipwreck to relate, since we not only 

 arrived safely under the shelter of the opposite 

 bank, but managed without mishap to get aboard 

 the small boat. After this latter feat was accom- 

 plished, our first care was to row ashore to bale 

 out the large quantity of water shipped during 

 the crossing ; our next, to make the best of our 

 way to the sheltered bays on the Hayfield shore. 

 In the end, things turned out more fortunately 

 than might have been anticipated, for the wind 

 gradually dropped, and by evening there was quite 

 a respectable number of trout lying in the bottom 



