1 8 AN ANGLER'S HOURS i 



this he is royally busy, and he catches 

 seven, one after the other. That is the way 

 of it, for bream stay not always in the same 

 place, but rather wander up and down ; and 

 when they come to where the angler is, 

 then if he is adroit he may catch several 

 ere the shoal has passed him. But of these 

 seven none is so heavy as the first one, though 

 two of them are a good two pounds apiece. 

 And after the bream he catches some more 

 roach, handsome fellows of nearly a pound. 

 All this while the potato has tranquilly 

 offered its plump attractions in vain. But 

 just now we thought we saw a slight move- 

 ment of the float, such as a sudden gust of 

 wind might cause. Yes, there it is again ; 

 some fish is without doubt curiously ex- 

 amining the bait. And now the angler is 

 placed on the horns of a dilemma. Suddenly 

 his little float disappears : he strikes, and is 

 fast in a good fish ; and at that moment his 

 eye wanders off to the other float. Where 

 is it ? He cannot see it anywhere. With- 

 out hesitating he moves the other rod to 

 his left hand, and, seizing the big rod with 

 his right, strikes hard. Now he is no 

 longer in doubt as to where his float may 



