DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 23 



trees, the leaves of which could be heard rustling in 

 the wind, but not a breath came to this downstairs 

 fairyland. The complaining voice of a disturbed 

 nesting-bird sounds loud and harsh where the 

 whispers of the stream and rustling leaves make 

 music ; but breaks must come. They sometimes 

 came with the splashing of a prize that was fighting 

 to clear itself from the stretching hair that held it 

 prisoner, and this was sure to bring down through 

 the bushes in the sweetest key of all : " Is it a big 

 one, Phil ? " 



I love to watch fish in crystal pools almost as 

 much as I like catching them, and there were some 

 really good ones here, quite unsuspicious of my 

 presence, that probably had never been tempted 

 with an artificial fly. They were busy making 

 spluttering snatches at the more indiscreet members 

 of a host of gnats that hovered and gambolled near 

 the surface of the stream. Brook trout, even when 

 only of minnow size, are perfect in shape and colour- 

 ing, and it's a fascinating sight to see a shoal of them 

 vying with each other at jumps for flies, so fascinat- 

 ing that your sympathies go out to the little fellows 

 that try there hardest to jump as high and with the 

 same success as their bigger brothers do. You may 

 watch a scene full of happy life like this until the 

 desire to kill is dulled, and your rod is laid aside 

 while you think a bit or call a comrade to your side 

 to view the picture that stays your hand. I called 

 my companion and, while climbing to assist her 

 down, I cleared a passage of its summer growth to 

 let her see that with some aid the journey might be 

 attempted. When she was safely by the pool I laid 

 my coat upon the overhanging rock to coax her to 



