NATURE NEAR LONDON 



the wheat ripened. Already here and there the 

 reapers had cut portions of the more forward corn. 

 As I sat from time to time under the aspen, within 

 hearing of the murmuring water, the thought did 

 rise occasionally that it was a pity to leave the trout 

 there till some one blundered into the knowledge 

 of his existence. 



There were ways and means by which he could 

 be withdrawn without any noise or publicity. But, 

 then, what would be the pleasure of securing him, 

 the fleeting pleasure of an hour, compared to the 

 delight of seeing him almost day by day ? I 

 watched him for many weeks, taking great precau- 

 tions that no one should observe how continually 

 I looked over into the water there. Sometimes 

 after a glance I stood with my back to the wall as if 

 regarding an object on the other side. If any one 

 was following me, or appeared likely to peer over the 

 parapet, I carelessly struck the top of the wall with 

 my stick in such a manner that it should project, 

 an action sufficient to send the fish under the arch. 

 Or I raised my hat as if heated, and swung it so 

 that it should alarm him. 



If the coast was clear when I had looked at him, 

 still I never left without sending him under the 

 arch in order to increase his alertness. It was a 

 relief to know that so many persons who went by 

 wore tall hats, a safeguard against their seeing any- 

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