OGRE OF THE POOL AND SANDY 219 



dark, deep, rocky fastness by the swift current, that it 

 was more than doubtful if he would condescend to rise 

 to a fat, freshly hatched ma^'^fiy even, and less to a 

 bundle of feathers and barbed steel. Brandlings and 

 lobworms, irresistible " wobblers " and " spinners," 

 Devon minnows, and sundry other lures, both natural and 

 artificial, were reviewed in their order, and passed over 

 as useless for the capture of " The Ogre of the Pool." 



Generations of bucolic anglers had proffered the first- 

 named juicy morsels, together withs such dainties as 

 gentles, wasp-grubs, paste, and cheese, to " The Ogre." 

 The stream was not only too narrow, but also too ser- 

 pentine to permit of spinning, and I, therefore, deter- 

 mined — although with but small hope of success — to 

 try if paternostering with a lively minnow would not 

 do the trick. By the time I had got my bait out, the 

 sun was rapidly sinking towards the wooded summits 

 of the neighbouring hills, and the timber-trees cast long 

 shadows athwart the lush, daisy-spangled meadows, 

 throHgh which the little river turned and twisted like 

 a silver riband upon a robe of emerald velvet. 



Several rabbits now began to appear outside the honey- 

 comb of burrows, but not one of the size I required was 

 to be seen within range of my pygmean rifle. From 

 my stand amongst the sallows I was able to watch every 

 movement amongst the bunnies, and also to handle my 

 rod without fear of being sighted by " The Ogre of 

 the Pool." Suddenly a well-grown young rabbit popped 

 out of a burrow and commenced nibbling at the clover, 

 offering me a very pretty broadside shot. Notwith- 

 standing the foliage of the sallows amongst which I 

 was seated on an old shooting seat, I had no difficulty 



