A 'Gip'-Trap 73 



ground was too firm for much rush or sedge ; the 

 streams that come out of the chalk are not so thickly 

 fringed with vegetation as others. 



Some little way along there was a rounded sarsen 

 boulder not far from shore, whose brown top was so 

 nearly on a level with the surface that at one moment 

 the water just covered it, and the next left it exposed. 

 By it we spied a trout ; but the hill above gave ' Velvet ' 

 the command of the hollow ; and it was too risky 

 even to think of. After that the nuts were tame ; 

 there was nothing left but to turn homewards. As 

 for trout-fishing, there is nothing so easy. Take the 

 top joint off the rod, and put the wire on the second, 

 which is stronger, fill the basket, and replace the fly. 

 There were fellows who used to paddle in canoes up 

 a certain river (not this little stream), pick out the 

 largest trout, and shoot them with pistols, under pre- 

 tence of practising at water-rats. 



