EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 9 



to the preserved, there being only a little 

 brooklet (which I had not even noticed) 

 which separated them. 



I started off for my rod and tackle, an 

 hour's hard walking, and when I got back to 

 the spot the little brooklet had suddenly 

 grown up into a rushing stream, quite im- 

 possible for me without waders to ford 

 ordinarily it can easily be crossed dryshod. 

 I was in a fix ; there was absolutely no other 

 access to the preserved water but over that 

 stream which came from under the railway 

 which ran alongside, but high above the 

 river, and separated also from it by a tall, 

 impenetrable quickset hedge. My only chance 

 seemed to be to follow the railway. So I 

 climbed up and on to the railway, and, at 

 the risk, I suppose, of some penalty for tres- 

 pass, I followed the line and the thick hedge 

 for several hundreds of yards, till I came to 

 a tall, white gate, which had painted on it, 

 " Please shut this gate " ; but it was shut, 

 and locked too. I climbed over it, and was 

 then in the meadow of protected river. 



I wended my way to the riverside, which 

 was, nearly the whole length of it, closely 



