86 In Pursuit of the Trout 



the bank and a mass of rubbish, which, 

 arrested by a dead branch of one of the 

 willows, had formed a regular platform. 

 Curiously enough, a good rise had not been 

 seen here during the season, though it looked 

 the very place for one ; but every one agreed 

 that something which would probably turn 

 the scale at four pounds must frequent the 

 spot, even though it never rose to the fattest of 

 olive duns or juiciest of may-flies. For a full 

 hour the fish rose steadily, taking every olive 

 that passed over it, but — another sure sign 

 of something very large — never deigning to 

 look at those which sailed a foot to right or 

 left, or which coquetted with the water with 

 many flutterings, after the manner of some 

 freshly hatched fly. There was no splash or 

 commotion ; everything was done in that 

 orderly, dignified style that is thoroughly 

 characteristic of something very large among 

 fishes. Splitcane hammered and he ham- 

 mered, but to no effect. The fish treated 

 all his pet patterns of duns and fancy flies 

 with contempt ; never rose at one of them, 



