om the bushes, rods in hand, the
soldier driver gave one bewildered stare, and then almost fell from
his seat. He was too respectful to laugh outright and thus relieve his
spasms, but he would look at us from the side of his eye, turn his face
from us and fairly double over--then another quick look, and another
double down again. Mrs. Ord laughed, and so did I. She is quite stout
and I am very thin, and I suppose the soldier did see funny things about
us. We saw them ourselves.

I shall never forget my first step in that water! It was as chilling as
if it had been running over miles of ice, and by comparison the August
sun seemed fiery; but these things were soon forgotten, for at once the
excitement of casting a fly began. It is almost as much pleasure to put
a little fly just where you want it, as it is to catch the fish. My rod
and reel were in perfect condition--Faye had seen to that--and my book
of flies was complete, and with charming companions and a stream full
of trout, a day of unusual pleasure was assured. We were obliged to wade
every step, as the banks of the stream had walls of boulders and thick
bushes. Most of the stream was not very deep, but was a foamy, roaring
torrent, rushing over the small rocks and around the large ones, with
little, still, dark places along the banks--ideal homes for the mountain
trout. We found a few deep pools that looked most harmless, but the
current in them was swift and dangerous to those who could not always
keep their balance. It was most difficult for me to walk on the slippery
stones at first, and I had many a fall; but Mrs. Ord, being heavy,
avoided upsets very nicely. At times we would be in water above our
waists, and then Mrs. Ord and I would fall back with General Stanley for
protection, who alternately praised and laughed at us during the whole
day. Mrs. Ord was very quick to learn where and how to cast a fly, and
I was delighted to let General Stanley see that grasshoppers were not at
all necessary to my success in fishing.

We sat upon a big, flat rock at luncheon, and were thankful that General
Stanley was a tall man and could keep the box of sandwiches from getting
wet. When we toppled over he always came to our assistance, so at times
his wading boots were not of much use to him. Mrs. Ord was far ahead of
me in number of fish, and General Stanley said that I had better keep
up with her, if I wished. The stream had broadened out some, so finally
Mrs. Ord whip