256 



THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



brink to consider, and lit his pipe. It was very 

 warm and still, and he fell into a dozs, in a very 

 insecure position. His pipe fell into the water 

 and went out with a fizz, without arousing him ; 

 then he heard a loud splash, and no wonder, for he 

 had fallen into the water. He scrambled out again, 

 dripping wet, and missed his rod, which had lain 

 across his knees. As he was wet through, he 

 waded through the canal to unfasten his line, but 

 to his astonishment he found that had gone too. 

 Then he heard a sound some distance off which he 

 well knew. It was the sound of the line being 

 rapidly run off a check reel. Running along the 

 bank, he was able to distinguish his rod moving 

 along the water at a good pace. He dashed in 

 and seized it, and after a long and arduous fight 

 he succeeded in landing the big trout, which 

 had sprung up at his fly as, it dangled over the 

 water. 



Nor is it on running streams alone that tho 

 drought has such an effect. The lakes and pools 

 lower, and their muddy margins, emit unhealthy 

 vapours. The tench and the carp nose about the 

 surface of the water, gasping with their leathery 

 mouths. The pike hangs motionless, though you 

 work your gudgeon to his very nose ; the perch 

 swim in scornful circles round your worm ; and 

 the littlo roach jump and play around your float. 

 Only the leaves of the water-lilies and the arrow- 

 heads look cool and green, and the water rises in a 



