96 ROD AND RIVER 



too wary to be captured by such means, and has 

 given him the slip ; nor does he get another 

 similar chance, for the light wind has again risen. 

 If he could but catch one fish, even a small 

 one, it would be something ; but no, it is not 

 to be. 



Much valuable time has been wasted ; the rises 

 are gradually becoming less frequent, and ere long 

 the surface of the water is unbroken, save where 

 a moor-hen or a water-rat comes out to feed. 

 There is probably no rise again during the day 

 at all events, not for some hours ; and so, after 

 more fruitless exertion, he gives the whole thing 

 up as a bad job and a fraud blames the fish, the 

 river, everything, and wends his way moodily 

 homewards. It may happen that he overtakes, 

 or is overtaken by, some brother - sportsman, 

 whose well-filled basket excites his admiration, 

 the latter feeling, possibly, and not unnaturally, 

 dashed with a suspicion of jealousy. ' What were 

 they taking ?' he asks. * I tried everything I could 

 think of, but could do nothing with them.' On 

 being shown the fly, and referring to his book, he 

 discovers that he has a goodly stock of that 

 identical pattern, which he had never even 

 thought of trying, as they looked too insignifi- 

 cant and unattractive, and so had passed them 

 by. He, however, resolves to make full use of 

 them on the next occasion. A few days later 



