76 AXGLLXG SKETCHES 



rise sh)-ly, like the others, but \\-ent for the fl\- if it 

 came at all near them, and then, down the}" rushed, 

 and bolted into the lily-roots. 



A new plan occurred to me. I put on about 

 eighteen inches of the stoutest gut I had, to the 

 end I knotted the biggest sea-trout fl\- 1 possessed, 

 and, hooking the next fish that rose, I turned my 

 back on the loch and ran uphill with the rod. 

 Looking back I saw a trout well o\-er a pound 

 fl\"ing across the lilies ; but alas ! the hold was not 

 strong enough, and he fell back. Again and 

 again I tried this method, in^-ariabh- hooking the 

 trout, though the heavy short casting-line and the 

 big tl;.- fell ver\' a«"k\\-ardl\- in the dead stillness of 

 the water. I had some exciting runs with them, 

 tor they came eagerh" to the big fi\", and did net 

 mis^ it, as the\- had missed the Red Quill, or 

 Whitchurch Dun, with which at first I tried to 

 beguile them. One, of only the average \\-eight, I 

 did drag out over the lilies ; the others fell oft' in 

 mid-journc)-, but the}' never broke the uncom- 

 promising stout tackle. 



With the first chill of evening the\- ceased 



