THE RISE 81 



not helping a bit. Another cast, and I imagined 

 I could see him tremble; at any rate, his fins 

 moved rapidly, but without imparting any 

 motion to the body, except to lift it an inch or 

 two toward the surface. Each succeeding cast 

 brought the same excited action of the fins and 

 tempted him a few inches nearer the surface. 

 I thought he never would reach the top, and 

 felt that if he didn't get within his distance 

 soon I would bungle the whole affair. At last, 

 and after I had made more than twenty-five 

 casts, he had risen to within six inches of the 

 surface; as the fly was presented again, he 

 made a determined rush, stopping just short of 

 it and allowing it to float over him, apparently 

 without further interest. I gently retrieved the 

 fly, though I felt that it was all over, as the 

 fish had probably detected the fraud. However, 

 I made another cast and the fly fortunately 

 alighted softly. The fish made the same rush, 

 refusing it as before; but after the fly had 

 floated down a foot or so, he turned slowly and 

 deliberately down-stream, and, rising quietly, 

 took the fly with a distinct "suck," turned to go 

 down with it, and was fast. 



This was not a very large trout fifteen 

 inches or so but his taking afforded more genu- 



