114 A MONTH IN THE FOEESTS OF FRANCE. 



to admit the minnows to the bait. "When in, the for- 

 mation of the bottle became much the same in shape 

 and effect as the entrance to an eel-wheel, or thief, or 

 hoop-net, and the minnows never thought of attempt- 

 ing to get out again at the right place. A handier 

 contrivance I never saw, for when held upright the 

 water sank only as low as the entrance hole, and there 

 was enough water still retained to keep the minnows 

 alive in moving from place to place ; when stationary 

 the bottle w^as again sunk, and set to fish, moored to 

 the side of the stream with a piece of string. Holes 

 being pricked in the rag over the top, the air escaped 

 and the bottle lay at the bottom fairly on its side. 



It was intensely hot; I never in my life was so 

 hot, or so much inclined, in the good condition I am 

 always in, to profuse perspiration. The day seemed 

 made for perch in deep shaded holes ; but though I 

 worked the live bait as well as the Thames " Pater- 

 noster," not a perch could I move ; at last there 

 came a brisk sharp tug at my line, and I landed, 

 with the aid of Jules (for I had no landing-net), a 

 pretty little pike of a couple of pounds. 



"Hark!" I said to myself, "don't I know what 

 that is ? " 



The air was as still as death; but, nevertheless, 

 afar off in the distant forest I heard a noise like the 



