COW VERSUS FISH. 181 



that will make your heart dance, if you should happen 

 to hook him; I saw him put his head up at the cheek of 

 the current, and he had a wilful look, and is likely 

 to make most pernicious runs when hooked ; for these 

 sort of fish are very active and strong. If you will 

 give me leave, I will change your trout fly for a 

 larger one, and instruct you how to proceed, as from 

 the nature of your tackle I conclude you are not ac- 

 customed to fish of this description. There now — 

 go a little higher up the stream ; throw above him, 

 and bring the fly gently round ; and if he comes at it, 

 do not strike him too hard, or you will break your 

 slender tackle. If you get hold of him, we shall see 

 how he is to be managed; he will put your tranquillity 

 to the test, I promise you." 



He grasped the rod, and held it aloft ; then, after a 

 considerable pause, " He is exactly in the right spot," 

 said he. " Precisely," I replied. 



" What a rich red tone of colour he has, — how well it 

 tells in the shadow ! He will come in capitally." 



" He is not red, I assure you, but clear as silver, and 

 I wish he may come in capitally." 



" Bless me ! he looks red to me, and I must take him 

 immediately ; he is exactly the thing I wanted." 



So saying, to my amazement, he dropped the rod, and 

 pulled out a sketch book, in which he began painting a 

 red cow in water colours that was reposing under a 

 hawthorn bush on the opposite bank, just beyond the 

 stream where the fish was lying, and which had been 

 the real object of his remarks. When he had done with 

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