162 ALBACORA 



Just after the battle entered its second hour, the fish 

 seemed to give a little. I pumped and reeled. The double 

 line was now out of the water. 



"Gaff," Lou shouted to Mario. 



"You brought him to leader. Nice work," he said to 

 me. 



Not fifteen feet from the boat, the fins rose from the 

 water. Mario, his gaff raised, leaned toward the fish. 

 Then, as unexpectedly as he had eased up, the fish 

 plunged. He did not leap but he was green as grass, 

 speeding close to the surface of the sea. Walt turned 

 the boat to follow, but tlie fish was too quick. My line 

 was flying from the reel. "It'll go bare," I shouted. 

 "He's got all my line." He could sound, and sure 

 enough he did. Down he went, the line spinning out 

 and down. 



With the fifty-pound test of yesterday I would have 

 been helpless, but today I had at least an even chance 

 of keeping the fish. I thought he would never settle, but 

 he did. Then I really went to work. Inch by inch I 

 raised him. Lou leaned over and carefully wiped my 

 face. 



"I hope that I don't look as worried as you," I told 

 him. 



"You look fine, Champ," he answered. "You're doing 

 great." 



But there wasn't much time to talk. The fish was com- 

 ing up out of the sea, slowly but surely. When he broke 



