32 In Pursuit of the Trout 



hour or more to come in the main stream 

 in which hounds and men had been wildly- 

 splashing was rudely dispelled j so we walked 

 up to some little tributaries about a mile 

 distant. It was an easy jump across the 

 widest of these streams, yet all were well 

 stocked with nice fish up to a pound and a-half 

 and sometimes even two pounds in weight. 

 Midday still found us with an almost empty 

 creel, for the rise was slight. Espying a farm- 

 house across the meadows, we went up and 

 begged a glass of milk, as the sun was hot. 



After quenching our thirst we turned 

 towards the stream again. A rivulet flowed 

 right through the farmyard, forming a pond, 

 which was clear and shallow. Imagine trout- 

 fishing in a farmyard ! We took a fish here, 

 and several more just beyond the house, 

 where the water was overhung with brambles 

 and rather rapid in parts. The rise of fly was 

 soon over, so we gave up fishing for a while 

 and explored the course of the little brook. 

 It is quite an ideal trout-stream. Even 

 though fish cannot be caught just now while 



