COSTA. 61 



the partnership. The dropper had not proved 

 a success, so it was decided that an Alexandra 

 should now, in racing parlance, " carry all the 

 money." An interval of two fields, in one of 

 which we came upon the keeper intent on the- 

 slaughter of his sworn foe, the pike, and I 

 was again called upon to exercise my prowess 

 with the net. I had in the meantime taken 

 my courage in both hands and gradually drawn 

 nearer to the angler, and had been able to 

 observe the sudden call made .upon the rod 

 point. The fish moved a few inches down 

 stream, then performed an acrobatic feat that, 

 proclaimed its identity. With a mighty rush, 

 it went against stream, pointing, boring, here, 

 there, and everywhere; but the Alexandra was. 

 not to be denied, and, in the end, a good trout, 

 of over i Ib. was translated from water to 

 land. Very tenderly the fly was disengaged,, 

 and ,with a whisk of the tail, the next minute- 

 Salmo fario disappeared beneath the waves,. 

 Swish, swish, swish, sings the line, as it 

 works down, and across, the river, while the 



