FEBRUARY FILL-DYKE 45 



be a chance for him, so I lifted him out, ran 

 to a little rapid side-stream, held him upright 

 in it with the clear water running through his 

 gills, and he soon made off as vigorous as ever, 

 seemingly none the worse for the disaster. 



Then came the time to notice the fact that 

 rain had been falling heavily and drenchingly 

 for some minutes, and, as another Frenchman 

 said, " too much is enough." The walk home 

 was unpleasantly wet, and clothes were soaked ; 

 the first little trickle down the neck and the 

 feeling of soaked knees are the worst features 

 of wet walks, but as long as you keep going 

 they do not matter. They are not a bad 

 preparation for full enjoyment of a hot bath, 

 a change into warm, dry garments, and hot 

 buttered toast for tea, followed by a pipe over 

 a favourite old book by the side of a fragrant 

 wood fire in the study. -February can go on 

 filling the dykes as much as it likes. Then 

 there will be all the more water to fish in when 

 the trout season opens. 



