rty.

This was an encouraging beginning certainly, for I suppose no man
complains if, going out to catch half-pound trout, he bags a grilse,
small though it be. Now I regretted that I had no longer line, and
that I had not stuck to the winch which I had replaced by one of my
own--a small ebony and silver one, which five-and-twenty years ago
formed part of a collection of goods composing the only prize I ever
received. It happened that the biggest pike of the year at the Stanley
Anglers, of which I was a member, had been caught by me without
competing, or thinking of prizes; but I was proud to take the award
when it was offered, and had the amount laid out in tackle. Here was
the winch, after much service, accounting for a grilse in Norway! I
now ran my fingers down the gut cast, tested the knots, and began
again. D. did not go back to his rock, and while in the water, having
delivered my cast, I was turning round to hand him my tobacco pouch,
when a furious pluck nearly brought the rod-top to the water. But one
manages these things by instinct, and the whole-cane was arched like a
bow again, and, out of the water, now abreast, now below, now away in
the stream, leaped a sea trout. He was the most restless of fishes;
the grilse had gone through his campaign with severe dignity, but this
fellow played endless pranks, and led me a merry dance down the
pebbles, ending in the production of the spring balance, and a register
of 2 1/2 lb. The sun was out strong now, and I feared that the fun was
over. Never, however, leave off because of the sun with sea trout; no,
nor with salmon either, though only half or quarter of a chance is left
you. I have killed some salmon and plenty of sea trout, though after
much apparently hopeless toil, against all the rules as to sun, wind,
and cloud. I was recalling examples when the rod was made to quiver
again, and this time it was a sea trout of over 1 1/2 lb. I would not
degrade D. by allowing him to interfere, but walked back and hauled the
fish up a sandy spit, extracted the hook, and weighed him myself, as I
generally do. In the next quarter of an hour I got three sea trout of
the smaller size, and weighed them _en bloc_, tied together, at 5 lb.
the leash. Breakfast was now fairly earned, and in a fine state of
perspiration and contentment I led the way home. In the afternoon I
was bound to make a show with the big rod, but left the whole-cane
trouter where I could pick it