128 TROUT FISHING 



rod to be pulled down till the point 

 touched the water, and clung to his gear 

 with might and main. The line suddenly 

 slackened. The trout was off. So, I 

 found on examining the cast, was the 

 end fly. 



The incident, however, was not yet 

 closed. 



I put another cast on Mr. T 's line, 



and, after waiting for ten minutes in order 

 that the many fish in the pool might 

 recover from the disturbance, persuaded 

 him to try again. The bait was seized 

 soon after it fell upon the water ; there 

 ensued a dire struggle, which lasted nigh 

 half an hour ; and in the end, all a-tremble 

 and full of laughter, scarcely able to keep 

 from gambolling in his glee, our friend 

 was in proud possession of the heirloom 

 which B had desired for him. 



In the mouth of the trout was the 

 lost fly 1 



The fish Mr. T had caught was 



the very trout he had been struggling 

 with, and had lost, when the peasants 



