CHANCE SHOTS AND ODD FlStf. 24? 



As to the huge burdocks, only the tips of some 

 of their bur-bunches can be seen just above the 

 water. Where the brook runs into the river, a 

 circular space has been formed ; there is a deep 

 hole here at all times, but now the flood is out, 

 the whereabouts of that hole can only be distin- 

 guished by the slow circular movement of the water 

 at this particular spot : it is a slow heavy swirl 

 round, and that is all. 



I am simply amusing myself by threshing the 

 trees and bushes in order to make the rats jump 

 into the water for at such times they plump into 

 it like stones from the trees, into which they have 

 climbed; when, on looking over the fields, I make 

 out a figure coming in my direction. I can see 

 that it is muffled up in a long light coat, and that 

 is all. Directly, however, it gets near enough for 

 me to see the drain-pipe hat, I know it is Billy. 



He did not seem pleased to see me, but when 

 he found that I was not fishing, he was all smiles 

 directly. I had seen him fish in that dull swirling 

 hole : we should never have thought about fishing 

 there in a flood, but Billy knew something. 



" Are ye goin' to stop an' see me fish ? If ye 



