256 THE WAY OF A TROUT WITH A FLY 



That orange-brown wink under water, 

 That ruddy gold wink under water, 



Oh, the glorious thrill 



That the bosom will fill, 

 At that rollicking wink under water. 



IV. 



Or a day on some smooth-flowing stream from the chalk, 

 When ^olus no ruffle hath wrought her, 



The keen subtle stalk 



And the reel's sudden talk, 

 At the rusty-brown wink under water. 



The heavy brown wink under water, 

 The fatuous wink under water, 



When the bumping big trout 



That has got to come out 

 Gives his solemn brown wink under water. 



V. 



I care for no trout that comes up with a splash 

 To capture the fly that I've brought her; 



Let the trout that will dash 



At my fly with a flash, 

 But tip me the wink under water. 



The gleaming brown wink under water, 

 The golden-brown wink under water, 



When I think I descry 



The quick turn at my fly, 

 The fleeting brown wink under water. 



VI. 



When trouting is over, and autumn is here, 

 The days growing shorter and shorter, 



The grayling will steer 



For my fly with a mere 

 Little hint of a wink under water. 



A silvery wink under water, 

 A soft little wink under water, 



But she has it all right, 



For the line has gone tight, 

 At that wee little wink under water. 



VII. 

 So plunging and rolling I lead her ashore 

 And as to the bank I escort her, 



She repenteth her sore, 



That she'll never no more 

 Give that silver-brown wink under water. 



That pinky-dun wink under water, 

 That shade of a wink under water, 



That raises a doubt, 



Is it grayling or trout 

 Gave that misty brown wink under water ? 



