A Hertfordshire Trout 25 



when there was more of winter than of spring 

 in the air, and when the edges of the stream, 

 which would by and by be a jungle of 

 greenery, white meadowsweet, and pink 

 willow-herb blossoms, were still bare and 

 exposed, our careless-seeming one came down 

 with a friend from town for an hour or two 

 to see, in his own language, ' if there was 

 anything doing.' He bought a few alders on 

 the way to the station, with a couple of casts; 

 his fly-case was in his breast coat-poclcet, and 

 his rod, winch, and landing-net — an intensely 

 plebeian net, that cost, perhaps, when new, 

 about five shillings — were at the hut, which 

 had not been entered since the end of last 

 season. There was a certain back stream of 

 about a hundred yards in length pertaining to 

 the fishery, famous for good fish which rarely 

 moved till the evening, even then seldom 

 rising at anything save a green drake or spent 

 gnat. As the evening drew in, with its 

 leaden sky and chilly wind, the old angler 

 and his companion came and pried into this 

 back stream, and soon perceived the first 



