s fish are there, the frying-pan is ready," replied
Kirstin; "but the Herr Pastor would not wish the gentleman to be
without a breakfast."

It was clear Kirstin doubted a trout breakfast's possibility. John
Hardy began to doubt too; but he took his fishing-rod, a light
sixteen-foot fly rod, and called the two boys, who rushed into his
room eager to a degree.

"Herr Hardy," said Axel, "they all say you will catch nothing--do you
think you will?"

The anxiety in the boy's face amused Hardy, who gave him the
fishing-bag to carry, and his brother Karl the landing-net.

John Hardy went to the bridge close to the parsonage, and looked up
the river. The country was flat, chiefly arable land, with meadows
here and there of coarse grass. The river had a peaty colour, and
resembled in its flow some portions of the Thames.

"Do you know where the deepest water is up the river, boys?" inquired
Hardy.

"Up by the tile works," said the boys both at once, "and above that it
is not deep."

Hardy walked up the towing-path, keeping his eye on the river, but not
a trout moved. He saw the abundance of bleak and smaller fish, and it
occurred to him that it was easy to account for the non-success of the
fly-fishers in the Gudenaa. The fish would not be often feeding, as
trout food existed in such quantity; and besides, to a voracious trout
a plump little fish was more acceptable than an ephemera. If there
were any fish feeding they would be in the shallows.

Hardy tried small trout flies, but without success; not a fish moved,
and the boys' faces had a disappointed look. He changed his casting
line for the one with the Irish lake trout flies, and was soon fast in
a trout. This Karl, in his excitement to get into the landing-net,
nearly lost, but Hardy let the fish have line, and then drew it again
within reach of the landing-net. This fish was full of food, and
corroborated the Pastor's statement. The trout resembles the Hampshire
trout, but the colours were more brightly painted. Hardy fished
steadily for two hours, with the result of landing eight trout
averaging a pound each, to the boys' intense delight. Kirstin and
their father had both doubted Hardy, but there were the fish and could
be cooked for breakfast. The boys never doubted Hardy after.

"Axel, little man," said John Hardy, "run to the kitchen with the
fish, and tell Kirstin that the Englishman wants to know if the
frying-pan is ready."

Axel was off like a hare.