268 CRUISINGS IN THE CASCADES 



or twelve feet deep, "and the driftwood that had 

 lodged about this tree afforded excellent cover for 

 the wary old fellows that always seek such secluded 

 and impregnable strongholds. The fly settled grace- 

 fully on the surface at the upper end of the pool, and 

 as it floated listlessly down toward the drift, West- 

 brook, who had come down and was fishing from the 

 bank opposite, said: 



"You'll get a good one there, sir. That's a 

 splendid hole for a big old fellow." 



" I think so; but he seems backward about coming 

 forward." 



" Maybe that blasted bird has scared him," 

 said he, referring to a coot that floated uncon- 

 cernedly and even impudently about the pool, 

 eyeing us without a symptom of fear, but evinc- 

 ing the liveliest curiosity as to who and what we 

 were. 



I reeled up and made another cast farther out on 

 the pool. As the fly fell, Mrs. Coot swam up to it 

 as if inclined to pick it up. I almost hoped she 

 would, for I should really have enjoyed yanking her 

 a few times. But she thought better of it, and 

 turned away. After exhausting all ray ingenuity 

 on this pool, and finding it impossible to induce a 

 rise, I laid down my rod, picked up a rock, and 

 threw it at the ill-omened bird, whom I blamed for 

 my lack of success. 



Westbrook took his cue from this and also sent a 

 rock after her. Both made close calls for her, but 

 she only scurried about the livelier, making no effort 

 to get away. She, however, swam behind a projec- 

 tion in the bank, so that I could not see her, and I 



