several feeding in the grass. The thought of the sport to be got
here when the frosty days came was enough to make one wild.

After a long look across, I began to examine the stream near at hand:
the rushes and flags had forced the clear sweet current away from the
meadow, so that it ran just under the bank. I was making out the brown
sticks at the bottom, when there was a slight splash--caused by Orion
about ten yards farther up--and almost at the same instant something
shot down the brook towards me. He had doubtless landed a jack, and its
fellow rushed away. Under a large dead bough that had fallen across its
top in the stream I saw the long slender fish lying a few feet from the
bank, motionless save for the gentle curving wave of the tail edges. So
faint was that waving curl that it seemed caused rather by the flow of
the current than the volition of the fish. The wings of the swallow
work the whole of the longest summer day, but the fins of the fish in
running water are never still: day and night they move continuously.

By slow degrees I advanced the hazel rod, keeping it at first near to
and parallel with the bank, because jack do not like anything that
stretches across them; and I imagine other fish have the same dislike to
right angles. The straight shadow even seems to arouse suspicion--no
boughs are ever straight. Perhaps, if it were possible to angle without
a rod, there would be more success, particularly in small streams. But
after getting the stick almost out far enough, it became evident that
the dead branch would not let me slip the wire into the water in front
of the jack in the usual way. So I had to draw it back again as
gradually as it had been put forth.

With fish everything must be done gradually and without a jerk. A sudden
jerking movement immediately alarms them. If you walk gently by they
remain still, but start or lift the arm quickly and they dart for deep
water. The object of withdrawing the rod was to get at and enlarge the
loop in order that it might be slipped over his tail, since the head was
protected by the bough. It is a more delicate operation to pass the wire
up from behind; it has to go farther before the spot that allows a firm
grip is reached, and fish are well aware that natural objects such as
twigs float down with the current. Anything, therefore, approaching from
behind or rubbing upwards is suspicious. As this fish had just been
startled, it would not do to let the wire