THE MAYFLIES 103 



for the next ]ot of fly were allowed to 

 float upon the surface. As the vanguard 

 of that argosy bobbed into the shade of 

 the first willow it was seized by a rising 

 trout. I sprang for my rod, but Jean 

 Pierre waved me back. Things must be 

 done decently and in order. Three fish 

 at least must be steadily feeding before 

 we could think of commencing to fish for 

 them. 



Then a trout rose almost under our feet, 

 just sipping the fly from the scarcely 

 ruffled surface. At the edge of a weed- 

 bed a great fish came up with a boil and 

 another fly vanished. A third trout was 

 assiduously sucking away a few yards 

 below, and there were informative oily 

 swirls some distance down the far bank. 



It was then that Jean Pierre laid hold 

 of the landing-net, then that Suzanne was 

 allowed to grasp the last and largest 

 cardboard box. Her instructions were 

 terse, ruthless, and complete. Only one 

 half-inch must the lid be raised. As each 

 fly crawled out must his head be firmly 

 pinched, his not too agile person cast upon 

 the waters. Equably, one by one, must 



