EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 47 



from last night's rain. No fishing in the morn- 

 ing. In the afternoon I started alone, and 

 fished the upper water. Trout not quite so 

 impudent, a little more amenable to reason. 

 Hooked and lost two good fish ; I won't boast 

 about their weight. I hooked and caught one, 

 a good fighter. He weighed i Ib. 3 oz. 



June 3. Fine but cloudy morning. Had 

 trout for breakfast well cooked, tender and 

 sweet. The master approved of -the weather 

 said he thought it might do, and that pos- 

 sibly the wary ones or some of them may be 

 caught napping. We went together, the master 

 preceding me through the wood to the open 

 meadow. I, happy fellow, rested on the stile 

 to put on a new fly a large showy one of 

 many colours. I saw a rise away under the 

 opposite bank. My Old Marfs Fancy reached 

 the edge of that ring. Heigh-ho ! a splash and 

 a dash, and didn't " my heart go pit-a-pat, like 

 sparks in burnt-up paper." 



Never before in my fishing days have I had 

 hold of such a monster. " He must be five 

 pounds at least ! " I cried out all to myself, for 

 the master was out of sight. Gracious good- 

 ness, my net ! I had left it fifty yards away by 



