252 AN ANGLER'S HOURS xiv 



and went on my way up to the shallow 

 where I intended to fly-fish for dace. Just 

 before I reached it, about a hundred yards 

 above the spot where the brother was sit- 

 ting, I perceived something which looked 

 like a float, in fact was a float. It was 

 proceeding rapidly up-stream, and the fish 

 was evidently still on. Without the least 

 expectation of accomplishing a miracle, I cast 

 the fly at the lost property, and the miracle 

 happened ! 



The fly took hold of the other line some- 

 where, and I found myself vicariously fast 

 in a fish, which immediately quickened its 

 pace as it felt the added strain. It sped up- 

 stream and I sped after it, fearing every 

 moment that the fly would lose its hold. 

 Presently the fish jumped, and so declared 

 that it was no bream. However, it had 

 doubtless been weakened by its previous 

 encounter, and before long I got it into the 

 net, a trout of about three pounds. The fly, 

 I found, had fastened on the ring of the 

 float. Then arose the question : Had the 

 fish been caught with a fly or with the 

 gentles that the brother had been using ? 

 In the one case it was legitimate to keep 



