78 NATURE NEAR LONDON, 



touched the mud sometimes) — once it came above 

 the surface, and his spots showed as plain as if you 

 had held him in your hand. He was swimming 

 round to try and find out the reason of this sudden 

 stinting of room. 



Twice he heaved himself somewhat on his side over 

 a dead branch that was at the bottom, and exhibited 

 all his beauty to the air and sunshine. Then he 

 went away into another part of the shallow and was 

 hidden by the muddy water. Now under the arch of 

 the bridge, his favourite arch, close by there was a 

 deep pool, for, as already mentioned, the scour of the 

 current scooped away the sand and made a hole there. 

 When the stream was shut off by the dam above this 

 hole remained partly full. Between this pool and 

 the shallow under the beech there was sufficient 

 connection for the fish to move into it. 



My only hope was that he would do so, and as 

 some showers fell, temporarily increasing the depth 

 of the narrow canal between the two pools, there 

 seemed every reason to believe that he had got to 

 that under the arch. If now only that accm^sed pipe 

 or main, or whatever repair it was, could only be 

 finished quickly, even now the trout might escape ! 

 Every day my anxiety increased, for the intelligence 

 would soon get about that the brook was dammed 

 up, and any pools left in it would be sure to attract 

 attention. 



Sunday came, and directly the bells had done 

 ringing four men attacked the pool under the arch. 

 They took off shoes and stockings and waded in, two 

 at each end of the arch. Stuck in the mud close by 



