78 AN ANGLER'S SEASON 



tangled in the overhanging branches ; and 

 when he came down he moved slowly, 

 tail-first, the while one's rod-arm was in 

 a throbbing agitation just like that which 

 you sometimes suffer when holding the 

 receiver of a telephone. By and by he 

 was within four yards of me ; but he 

 did not tarry. Off he dashed across 

 the water. Would he turn down now, 

 and persevere in that direction ? If so, I 

 should have to hold tight and be bidden 

 farewell through a breakage. There is an 

 overhanging tree at the end of the pool, as 

 well as one at the top. Therefore I could 

 not on the land follow the fish ; and, there 

 being a very deep hole on the other side 

 of the obstruction, I had better not follow 

 him by water. Luckily, he did not go 

 down. He did not even go up. He 

 came towards me. Here too, however, 

 danger lurked. What if he should seek 

 shelter under the tangle of thin branches 

 on the tree -stump in the water at my 

 feet ? That seemed to be precisely what 

 he meant to do ! As he neared the 



