DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 51 



It is a very rare occurrence to find first-class 

 farming and a good head of game on the same 

 farm, but here we had it, and that the one inter- 

 fered so little with the other was accounted for by 

 the whole of the one being below a main road and 

 the other all above. 



On the side of the hill is a thirty-acre oak-studded 

 wood with an undergrowth of hazel, bramble, and 

 bracken, that has two twenty-acre rough pasture 

 fields next its longest side, over which the birds 

 make their flight to reach the coppice. The furze 

 brake with its grass-grown rides and sunny aspect 

 is a grand holding, and the numerous and lengthy 

 double-crowned hedges are happy hunting-grounds 

 for a gun each side while well-trained Cockers 

 work them. 



The sun had set and it was almost dusk when we 

 reached the river, just to have a peep to help the 

 hopes and plannings for the morrow's doings. Our 

 coming there was most opportune, for the weir-pool 

 was full of life, which was with great suddenness 

 added to by the rise and rush in chase of quite a 

 large trout. Our host was delighted at this and 

 said : "How would that one do for you, my boy? 

 It's no good looking at your watch. He'll be there 

 to-morrow and "-with a wink "perhaps the day 

 after." 



It was glorious to wake at dawn after a vivid 

 dream in which I saw the fish again chasing little 

 fish in all directions and, fearing he would not see 

 the one upon my hook, I moved it seductively to 

 and fro until there was a mighty swirl close to it 

 and, after that a long time after the line tightened 

 and I knew I had him on. 



