g the
sky overhead, and the shadows of many dreaming insects, to show through.
If a swallow, for instance, or a low-winged snipe, flew over, the trout
could see not only the bird itself, and the shadow of the bird on the
bottom, but also a dim, swift-moving reflection of the shadow, on the
silvery mirror above. If a swallow's wing-tip flicked the surface,
sending down a bright little jet of bubbles, these bubbles also would
double themselves in reflections as they darted up again and vanished in
the mirroring ripples.

All this, however, was of little interest to the hungry trout, till he
caught sight of a large butterfly zigzagging languidly close above the
water. Its flight was so feeble that the big fish's expectations were
aroused. Slowly he started upwards, to be on hand for whatever favour
fortune might have in store for him.

As he swam up out of the gloom, the butterfly flickered above him, and
its big shadow danced along the bottom beside his own. A small beetle,
its wings all outspread, struck the surface violently close by,
shattering the mirror for a second, then starting a series of tiny
ripples. The big trout paid no heed to the convulsive gyrations of the
beetle. He was wholly intent upon the butterfly, whose faltering flight
drooped ever nearer and nearer to the shining flood. At last, the
splendid painted wings failed to flutter; and lightly, softly, like a
leaf, the gorgeous insect sank upon the water, hardly marring the
surface. Without a struggle, without even a quiver. They rested,--for
perhaps a second. Then, there was a heavy boil in the water immediately
beneath. A pair of black jaws opened. The dead butterfly was sucked
down. With a wanton flick of his broad, powerful tail, just above the
surface, the big trout turned to sink back into the watery silence with
his spoils.

[Illustration: "THE WATER SPLASHED HIGH AND WHITE ABOUT HIM."]

IV

There was a harsh, strong hissing in the air, and a dark body fell out
of the sky. Fell? Rather it seemed to have been shot downward from a
catapult. No mere falling could be so swift as that sheer yet governed
descent. Just at the surface of the water the wedge of the eagle's body
turned, his snow-white head and neck bent upwards, his broad wings
spread, and beat heavily. In spite of the terrific force of his descent,
his body did not go wholly under water, but the water splashed high and
white about him. The next instant he rose clear, flapping ponder