s
bright as glass, fast and clean, and not too deep to wade, with bends
and willow coves on below--loveliest creeks you ever saw. Then, over
across, is a creek where Jim Blair, a rancher, planted regular brook
trout, years ago. They get to a half pound, three quarters, and take
the fly like gentlemen. But all this country's shot to pieces
now--automobiles everywhere, and all sorts of men who kill the last fish
they can."

"But have they got them all?" asked Rob. "It would be easy planting and
keeping up such waters as these."

"Sure it would. Well, maybe some day folks'll learn that the old times
in their country are gone. We act like they wasn't, but that's because
we've got no sense--don't know our history.

"Now," he added, as they forded one bright, merry stream that crossed
their way, "you all ride down the road to where the bridge is--that's
the main stream again, and she's pretty big--regular river, all right.
Wait for me there at the bridge. I'll see if I can pick out a fish or
so. I see a dry quaking asp lying here that some fellow has left, and
I'll just try it myself. You know, get a quaking-asp pole that's dry
and hasn't been dead too long, it's the lightest and springiest natural
fishing rod that grows. The tip is strong enough, if it hasn't rotted,
and she handles almost as good as a boughten rod. Now Rob, you lead my
horse on down, and I'll try it along the willows with a 'hopper.'"

"Oh, let me go along, too!" exclaimed Jesse. "Lead my horse, John?"

"All right," said John. "Good luck."

At the bridge, a half mile below, the three remaining members of the
party picketed the horses on a pleasant grass plat near the road. Rob
went exploring for a little way, then, without saying anything, began to
get together some dry wood for a fire, and also began cutting some short
willow twigs which he sharpened at each end.

"The 'old way,' Rob?" said John, smiling.

"Yes," nodded Uncle Dick. "Rob has seen what I have seen--there's trout
in this water, and grayling, too. Do you see that grayling between the
bridge there, over the white bar? I've been watching him rise. So, by
the time we get a broiling fire, maybe Rob'll have need for his
skewers--to hold a fish flat for broiling before a fire, in the 'old
way' we learned in the far North. Eh, Rob?"

"That's the way I figured it, sir," replied Rob, smiling. "Billy'll get
something on hoppers, at this season, for that's what the trout and
grayling are feedi