60 A DAY AT LOUGH MELVIN. 



by the mountain streams, which had already 

 felt the influence of the rain. 



" Stop the boat ! stop the boat ! I have 

 got a fish already ; let me get in my line." 



" Oh ! not such a little fellow as that ; it 

 is only a jenkin ; let him trail till we get 

 something better," said the Squire. " See, 

 there is another on my side now." 



And the line still glided over the water, 

 dragging the unfortunate little creatures 

 after it. 



" That's the splash of a three-pounder at 

 the least ; and, by George, he has missed 

 me! Try that bit over again, Squire." 



" How on earth," said the Parson, " can 

 you go back with all that tackle trailing on 

 the water ? Vestigia nulla retrorsum. Be- 

 sides, look here " — he had been lengthening 

 his line during this speech, and now threw 

 his flies across the rise. The trout rose 

 again, but this time a quick eye and a ready 

 hand were waiting upon him, and the sharp 

 scrape of the reel announced a capture. 



But the cross -lines did not always miss 

 their fish. If they pricked their hundreds, 

 at least they hooked their tens, and fish 

 after fish was hauled in, now by the Squire, 



