28 BY MEADOW AND STREAM. 



which was already partly digested ! Now ye learned 

 piscators, tell me if this was the same jack and the 

 same trout which Davis had seen performing as above 

 not many minutes before ? But to return to our trout 

 and grayling, 



I had another good trout, over a pound. I caught 

 him in a very awkward position. I hooked him down 

 stream nearly on the opposite side ; I could not get 

 below him on account of a deep pool and a hedge, so 

 I had to draw him across and up stream. He fought 

 well I never had such a fighter. I was in middle of 

 the river, and I got him at last to close quarters, when 

 he sank and sulked in a bed of weeds, and there he 

 held on tight and motionless. At length I got the net 

 from Davis and gave him a prod ; out he leapt, but 

 still hook and gut held on to him, till finally after a few 

 minutes' struggle I got the net ouside his pretty pink- 

 spotted body. 



Now, although the pesky graylings kept our baskets 

 light, I must say they gave us good sport, and the 

 game was lively and interesting. There was scarcely 

 a fly to be seen on the water. Occasionally one came 

 across a solitary "March Brown." We were too 

 early for them, the nights being very cold ; but the 

 days were glorious, and I assure you, my friends, we 

 had a most delightful little holiday. All nature was 

 alive and gay, the air was exhilarating, the birds sang 

 their sweetest songs in the woods, and in the trees and 

 bushes by the river. A sweet little black-capped fly- 

 catcher followed me all down the river on the opposite 

 side ; he seemed to be particularly amused and inter- 

 ested in my flies, and frequently when I threw across 



