XI. 



THERE is likewise another feature that will 

 test the angler's natural temperament to the 

 utmost ; and that is when a trout in the twink- 

 ling of an eye, with the swiftness of a comet, 

 breaks away beyond possibility of explana- 

 tion, taking matters in his own hands with a 

 determination to have his own precious way; 

 when you have him in the abstract for a few 

 minutes, only to lose him in the concrete in- 

 definitely. Nothing is left but a frayed leader 

 arid the memory of a flash; but he only escaped 

 and silently stole away. He only escaped, 

 mind you, for as Piscator remarks, "The trout 

 is not lost; for pray take notice no man can 

 lose what he never had." Though it must be 

 said that letting such a fellow break away 

 (and he might have been a little one) is an 

 annoyance that with some assumes the pro- 

 portions of a catastrophe. 

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