DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 17 



At the head of the pool, where the river narrowed 

 and where the water had most movement, I heard a 

 splash and saw a ring such as only a really good 

 trout could make. Of course I was full of eagerness 

 to catch it, but how to set about it with the greatest 

 chance of success had to be considered. I dried the 

 fly, decided on the spot which would best lend itself 

 to cast from, and then carefully got there on hands 

 and knees. These ceremonies were noticed, and I had 

 to give a reason for them, which I did by pointing 

 to the river and then gesticulating the size my hopes 

 had made the fish. I was much too near it to ven- 

 ture speech ; so near, indeed, as to make my cover- 

 ing it as I wished almost certain. It is at such 

 moments that it often happens we make the silliest 

 cast of all the day and thus lose our opportunity for 

 want of nerve. This time the fly fell just where I 

 wished, and as a fly should fall, and I got the fish. 

 Although not quite so big as someone expected from 

 my gestures it more than realised my hopes as it 

 was quite half-a-pound. 



The excitement caused by the capture of the half- 

 pounder being over we picked up our belongings 

 and carried them past the weedy shallows on to 

 where a sharp bend gave hopes of others. 



" Just there, where the water, dark and cool, 

 Lingers a moment in yonder pool, 

 The dainty trout are at play ; 

 And now and then one leaps in sight, 

 With sides aglow in the golden light 

 Of the long, sweet summer day." 



The little wind that blew was up and across the 

 stream and proved most useful. The holland dress 

 was hidden by ferns and high grasses as the wearer 



