246 AN ANGLER'S SEASON 



vinced that there was something wrong in 

 my way of working the fly. As a matter of 

 fact, he had been suggesting that a little 

 more line would be advisable. "In this 

 clear water they're apt to see ye unless 

 the flee is weel awa'." When he said 

 that, I always let out a little more ; but 

 after four or five casts I was moved to 

 reel in, surreptitiously. It was from no 

 want of will that the fly and myself fell 

 short of John's requirements. It was 

 simply from want of strength. On an 

 eighteen-feet greenheart rod three or 

 four extra yards of line add considerably 

 to the horse-power required in casting, 

 and already, after a long morning of 

 practically fruitless effort, my left ribs 

 and both arms were aching. This I should 

 not have noticed had we been having any 

 success ; but failure brings troubles of all 

 kinds into view. I was finding John's 

 remarks, now become infrequent, tire- 

 some. John, hitherto a youth of sprightly 

 humour, was become as much a bore to 

 me as I was a duffer to him. The very 



