xiii THE MIDLAND BROOK 219 



whole is lamentably suggestive of eels. 

 And yet it contains trout, real trout, short, 

 thick fish seldom weighing less than a 

 pound, and sometimes as much as three 

 pounds. 



Young Farmer John knows all about 

 them, and in answer to discreet questions 

 admits that he generally gets a brace ot 

 fish, and often two brace, of which one at 

 least is a two -pounder. Once he got as 

 many as five brace on a single afternoon 

 early in April. But then John only goes 

 out when there has been a heavy storm and 

 the water is muddy, and he fishes always 

 with a big worm. He does not seem to 

 think much of the brook and the trout. 

 They are only fish to him, not the chiefest 

 jewels in his crown and worth more than 

 their weight in gold ; it might be wagered 

 that he thinks much more highly of his 

 rabbits. I feel that in asking his permission 

 to fish in the mile and a half that runs 

 through his land I am taking advantage 

 of his ignorance of the proper balance of 

 things ; but, as usual, conscience is grasped by 

 the throat and squeezed into acquiescence. 

 " Why, yes," he says cheerily, " fish as 



