A TRESPASS AND A TROUT 11 



and one ounce did that game fish scale, and, notwith- 

 standing the earliness of the season, a more beautifully- 

 coloured or more shapely Salmo fario it had never been 

 my pleasure to kill. 



The scintillating spears of the setting sun now began 

 to gild the summits of a distant range of purple hills, 

 and, probably not caring to encounter the chill evening 

 air, my kindly host led me across a beautiful level stretch 

 of lawn to his old-fashioned creeper-clad fishing lodge. 

 " Well, my young friend," said he, as we sat smoking and 

 sipping a cool and refreshing soda and whisky in a small 

 but cosily furnished smoking-room overlooking the river, 

 " seeing that you have pleaded guilty to trespassing on 

 my preserved water, I see no reason why you should not 

 be penalised. However, I will allow you to go free this 

 time, but" (shaking a warning finger at me) "when next 

 you trespass on this little fishery, well, don't forget to 

 bring a rod." 



