18 AN ANGLER'S LINES. 



procrastination would be fatal, and, with many 

 a splash and many a struggle, a | Ib. trout 

 comes over the net the fish of the morning. 

 Once more the hazardous venture is made ; but 

 the hook returns not again. The next swim 

 down, the worm is taken greedily by a fish that 

 subsequently owes its salvation to lack of 

 inches. But the little rapid, on the whole, is 

 kind, and I do not begrudge the four hooks 

 it claims as the price of three sizable trout ; 

 more kind than its neighbour just round the 

 bend, which, if it does not thieve my hooks, 

 is exasperatingly fruitful of lost fish, in stages 

 ranging from the " lightly pricked," to that 

 of freedom regained even in front of the 

 waiting net. 



A movement, two movements, on the other 

 bank where it juts out abruptly into the stream, 

 attract my attention, and two water-voles 

 approach from opposite directions. Con- 

 verging, each in blissful ignorance of the 

 other's presence, they come face to face at the 

 point. .Mutual surprise gives way to mutual 



