162 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



the rods together. The rise may be earlier to-day ; 

 there are some clouds and a nice breeze." 



So we returned to the bridge for our tackle, 

 keeping well from the river, and here my friend 

 decided that I had better fish below, and he above. 

 " You go for the patriarch, Geen. I've had enough 

 of him. But, mind, none of your minnows ; the lad 

 you have with you knows all the difference between 

 a minnow and a fly." 



The green drake we had seen must have been 

 an eccentric, for it was two hours before I saw 

 another, and my friend and the keeper were out of 

 sight when I saw the first rise of a fish. I worked 

 hard over it without result until called a little 

 farther by another rise where my efforts were 

 equally unsuccessful. 



By this time the flies were swarming and I had 

 a choice among the rising fish. I went for the one 

 that seemed the largest and the fly behaved so 

 nicely as to deceive a trout, which fought with 

 every ounce of his three pounds, first by two sudden 

 leaps and then by exploring the weeds, thereby 

 testing my cast severely, before surrendering. 



The next I hooked would, I reckoned, be a fit 

 companion for the one I had but it turned out to be 

 a chub of such a size as I should have valued at 

 another time and in another place. My disappoint- 

 ment was of short duration as I was soon fast in a 

 fish about which there could be no doubt ; it rose 

 so close to me that I could see it plainly and, 

 fortunately, it was in a pool clear of weeds or I 

 should probably have lost it, as it weighed nearly 

 five pounds and was very slightly hooked. 



I will not speak of my smaller captures ; I prefer 



