NATURE NEAR LONDON 



once it came above the surface, and his spots 

 showed as plain as if you had held him in your 

 hand. He was swimming round to try and find 

 out the reason of this sudden stinting of room. 



Twice he heaved himself somewhat on his side 

 over a dead branch that was at the bottom, and 

 exhibited all his beauty to the air and sunshine. 

 Then he went away into another part of the 

 shallow and was hidden by the muddy water. Now 

 under the arch of the bridge, his favorite arch, 

 close by there was a deep pool, for, as already 

 mentioned, the scour of the current scooped away 

 the sand and made a hole there. When the stream 

 was shut off by the dam above, this hole remained 

 partly full. Between this pool and the shallow 

 under the beech there was sufficient connection 

 for the fish to move into it. 



My only hope was that he would do so, and as 

 some showers fell, temporarily increasing the depth 

 of the narrow canal between the two pools, there 

 seemed every reason to believe that he had got to 

 that under the arch. If now only that accursed 

 pipe or main, or whatever repair it was, could 

 only be finished quickly, even now the trout might 

 escape ! Every day my anxiety increased, for the 

 intelligence would soon get about that the brook 

 was dammed up, and any pools left in it would be 

 sure to attract attention. 



90 



