The Big Trout. 175 



There were not very many trout in the 

 stream, but what there were generally ran 

 a good size ; and in one particular place I had 

 often seen a very large trout. He was always 

 in some deep water underneath a large hawthorn 

 bush, which grew close down to the water. 

 I had often tried my friend with worm, a live 

 minnow, and the natural May-fly, but never 

 could succeed in getting him to look at 

 anything ; for it was very difficult to get 

 my bait into, or on, the water without being 

 seen myself. He was a wary old gentleman, 

 and the sight of a twig moving aroused his 

 suspicions, and although he did not bolt off 

 like greased lightning, as most trout do, he 

 made himself scarce by dropping gradually and 

 quietly out of sight. This trout bothered me 

 a great deal, and I was determined to have 

 him somehow ; but how ? that was the question, 

 which I turned over and over in my mind, 

 again and again, without coming to any satis- 

 factory conclusion ; when one morning there 

 were some shrimps for breakfast, and a happy 

 thought struck me. I wonder whether one 

 of these w^ould tempt my fastidious friend ; at 

 all events, thought I, I will make the attempt, 



