THE BILLIARD TABLE POOL. 71 



by any rings. The fish that had risen on the 

 spot must be there, and but for the time wasted 

 in landing his rival would no doubt have been 

 secured. Above, in the gravelly shallow fish 

 after fish were feeding, their snouts coming up 

 and leaving a purple semicircle in the auburn 

 of the water. But I watched the rocking night- 

 shade near the top right hand pocket with 

 intentness, and he was there. 



The fly hit the leaves and for a moment the 

 fear of a hitch up added excitement to the 

 situation. Cast after cast followed, far too 

 quickly, but the distance was right, and if only 

 the fly would pitch just as the nightshade rose 

 clear all promised well. It pitched too far out, 

 a foot to the left, but a sideways movement 

 followed and the next instant there was a dark 

 form in the air with a fed gold outline 

 a splash, and a dash up the narrow run leading 

 right among the rushes. 



I pressed my finger on the line and held 

 the rod up tightly, hardly daring to think the 

 gut could stand the strain. It did and the 

 sudden slackening told me that the same course 

 down stream was taking place. Line was on 

 the water, and as I tore it in lay in coils among 

 the high grass and around my feet. He would 

 be off or under the broom bush of course, but 

 a welcome wallop in the pool below showed that 

 so far all was clear. Hea'd and shoulders out 

 of the water he kicked somewhere below me. 

 The net had fallen in the water and in getting 

 it I tripped forward and was on hands and 



