A BROOK. 57 



exactly as with hands. Holding the thread in the 

 paws, it nibbled it, eating the sweet and tender 

 portion, feeding without fear, though but a few feet 

 away, and precisely beneath me. 



In a minute the surface of the current was disturbed 

 by larger ripples. There had been a ripple caused 

 by the draught through the arch, but this was now 

 increased. Directly afterwards a moorhen swam out, 

 and began to search among the edge of the tangled 

 weeds. So long as I was perfectly still the bird took 

 no heed, but at a slight movement instantly scuttled 

 back under the arch. The water-rat, less timorous, 

 paused, looked round, and returned to feeding. 



Crossing to the other side of the bridge, up stream, 

 and looking over, the current had scooped away the 

 sand of the bottom by the central pier, exposing 

 the brickwork to some depth — the same undermining 

 process that goes on by the piers of bridges over 

 great rivers. Nearer the shore the sand has silted 

 up, leaving it shallow, where water-parsnip and other 

 weeds joined, as it were, the verge of the grass and 

 the stream. The sunshine reflected from the ripples 

 on this, the southern side, continually ran with a 

 swift, trembling motion up the arch. 



Penetrating the clear water, the light revealed the 

 tiniest stone at the bottom : but there was no fish, 

 no water-rat, or moorhen on this side. Neither on 

 that nor many succeeding mornings could anything 

 be seen there ; the tail of the arch was evidently the 

 favourite spot. Carefully looking over that side 

 again, the moorhen who had been out rushed back ; 

 the water-rat was gone. Were there any fish ? In 



