nd the elevated banks of an ordinary trout river. There was a
bridge spanning a smart run of knee-deep water, and above a beautiful
broad shallow, aglow with white ranunculus blossoms, growing out of
yellow sand held together with small gravel perpetually washed by
crystal clear water. The damsels had to do their best with shortened
walking dresses until certain smart clothes, about which there had been
many whisperings, came down from the tailor; and in they went, skirts
notwithstanding, like merry children as the stream rippled and gurgled
four inches or so above the feet, which were encased in dainty rubber
combination waders.

Bless the maiden, how delighted Blind was in delivering her first real
cast with a real artificial fly on real water! They had not yet
attempted the mysteries of dry fly; a fat alder on a No. 1 hook was
honour enough for a beginning. A red spinner, in compliment to one who
was a spectator, first chosen, alighted and floated well, but swiftly
came down to the fair practitioner. Some trouble followed in gaining
the delicate touch of line and winch, and knack of recovery essential
to workmanlike up-stream casting, but the amiable pupil, being a
listener rather than a talker, was quick to learn, and the lesson was
over when the vicar arrived. To him Lammy soon contrived to explain
that she was left on the bank, or, rather, paddling below in the
shallow, ignored and lamenting. They were therefore left to operate in
company while the others crossed the bridge and sought fresh water a
little higher up the shallow.

Though there was no idea of catching fish that evening, fortune smiled
upon the placid Blind. Obeying cousin's order to drop the fly between
two well-defined patches of weed up-stream, she achieved a neat cast
straight and clean to the desired spot. The fly, with the evening
light showing it startlingly distinct, had not travelled three inches
before something took it fiercely, and the winch was heard as sweet
harmony. Neither of the operators had reckoned upon this. Cousin
dared not speak at such a momentous crisis. Blind was startled into a
little "oh," and, as he might have been sure without protestations, she
kept cool, and remembered precisely the order of procedure which he had
expounded in theory at odd times on the lawn--point of rod raised,
winch left free but still at ready command, fish to be humoured, and no
excitement. The battle was really over if she maintained