62 MINOR TACTICS OF THE CHALK STREAM 



angler, and to an amused retreat on the part of 

 Willy. Yet a short time later he would be back 

 at J his post, adding to his collection of the 

 Ephemeridse with undiminished zest. 



I was not a member of the club, but I paid a 

 visit to a friend who had a rod, and he very good- 

 naturedly insisted on my trying his nine-foot 

 Leonard over Wary Willy, and he brought me to the 

 place. I had no tackle with me, so I had to use my 

 friend's floating flies. The wind was light and in 

 the right direction, and I got my fly over the 

 branch nicely and covered him several times, and 

 as I let my reel-line drop on the water below the 

 branch the current carried my fly back successfully 

 several times ; but at length I was hung up, and 

 when I tried to release myself Willy had business 

 elsewhere. 



On this water the club members and the 

 keepers said that sedges were no use. It was 

 a dun and spinner water only. So when in 

 the afternoon I met the head-keeper, and saw 

 a small Red Sedge in his cap, I made no bones 

 of asking for it, as it was of no use. Borrow- 

 ing the Leonard once more, I tied on the Red 

 Sedge, and stole up cautiously to Willy's abode. 

 But just ere I got to position a fish rose to the 

 right of his place, about three yards out from the 

 bank. I did not wish him to scare Willy, so, to 

 get him out of the way first, I dropped the sedge 

 upon his nose, and he had it immediately. He 



