A DAY WITH THE GRILSE 173 



and put into the bag. He is only five pounds ; 

 but a fish is a fish, and we need no longer fear 

 going home with " a blank day." 



Lunch is soon over, and, when two more flies 

 have been tried on the same stream without 

 another offer, we begin to retrace our steps 

 down stream. Something, either a large trout 

 or a small " fish," moved at the fly, just below 

 the place where we had luncheon, and again after 

 a rest and a change of fly ; but, whatever he was, 

 he did not mean business, and equally resisted 

 the attractions of a claret-body, a small Jock 

 Scott, and a Captain. However, I got two small 

 trout before I am back to the Stance pool, 

 and give them but a short shrift, as it will be 

 about as much as I can do to finish my water 

 by the time the dog-cart is ordered to meet us 

 at the bridge. 



Here fortune is again favourable, for a very 

 pretty fish of a little over six pounds takes 

 the fly under water in the deepest part, plays 

 kindly, and comes to the gaff soon. The only 

 difficulty this time is caused by the ill-directed 

 zeal of my terrier Punch, who appears to have 

 given up rabbit-hunting for the moment, and, 

 erroneously thinking that he can help me, dashes 

 at the fish every time I bring him near the gaff, 

 sending him flying to the other side of the pool, 

 and sadly disconcerting my attendant, who, how- 

 ever, does his duty nobly, and in spite of the 



