216 HAPPY HUNTING-GROUNDS 



to welcome us. I was soon fast asleep in a com- 

 fortable little outside room, as the house was full 

 to its utmost capacity. 



I only remained two days, Sunday and Monday, at 

 Lilledal, as I was due at Alfheim for the first part of my 

 stay in Norway, and went on there as soon as my heavy 

 luggage arrived from Christiania. I had neither 

 rods nor fishing things, or even a change of clothes, 

 but Miss Cole lent me a light eleven-foot Faiiow rod, 

 and I tried my hand at " Peter Pool," the pool round 

 the first bend above the bridge, on the Monday even- 

 ing after dinner. Half-way down I hooked a fine 

 fresh -run fish, which gave me great fun in the strong 

 water, for the stream was then pretty high. He 

 really fought like a tiger, and I was afraid that 

 he might get over the dam into the rapids, but in 

 about ten minutes he was safely landed, a beautiful 

 silvery fellow in perfect condition, thick-set and 

 shapely. I hoped he was four pounds, but thought 

 he was about half a pound less, and I found that my 

 eye had not deceived me, as when I weighed him he 

 just turned the scale at 3^ pounds. 



Next morning I left for Alfheim, and did not return 

 until Friday, 22nd August, by which time the river had 

 run down so low that there was very little chance of 

 catching big fish. During the time I was away the 

 fishing had been very good, and on the day before I 

 returned my son Geoffrey was lucky enough to beat the 

 record by catching a magnificent fellow of 1 4|- pounds in 

 the Road Pool. We heard by telephone of his success, 

 and when I drove down the valley next day I found 

 that the fame of the capture was spread abroad ! The 

 telephone is a great convenience in Norway, but it 



