A SURREY RIVER. 143 



there would be no harm in trying for him below 

 the ford ; so away I turned down the lane leading 

 to it from the main road. There stood a man well 

 known to myself, looking intently at the water. He 

 nodded, and pointing to the pool, jerked out, 

 " Otter 1 " 



Drawing back from the water's edge, he tells me 

 that one otter, if not more, has been working the 

 river. A keen shot he is, and well versed in all the 

 dodges of woodcraft ; besides which, he has leave 

 from the owner of the estate to shoot the otter, if 

 he can. 



" It will be a waiting job ; will you come ? I am 

 going home for my gun : about ten o'clock the moon 

 will be round the hill, and I shall perch up for him." 



Between ten and eleven we were there : it was a 

 waiting job, no mistake about that, and the midges 

 were ferocious. We kept, of course, perfectly quiet, 

 and about midnight a splash was heard in the pool 

 below, as if some dog had jumped into the water. 



" Hark ! " whispered my companion ; " they are at 

 play, and will pass the ford directly." 



That splash answers two purposes ; there is fun 

 and profit as well in it, as far as the otters are con- 



