ALBACORA 193 



"That's what I thought," I said. "I knew it wasn't 

 long." 



"A fast one, Madame Dynamo," Lou said. "You 

 certainly pulled a fast one." 



The guani bird was still waddling about. "Nice go- 

 ing, Charlie," I said. "If I insulted you by calling 

 you a free-loader, I apologize." 



Charlie stood staring at me for a few seconds. Then, 

 redeemed, he spread his wings and soared off. 



"Charlie," Lou shouted. "Hey, you! Come back 

 here." The bird continued to fly and did not settle in 

 the water until he had traveled some 500 feet. 



"Let him go now, Lou," I said. "He's done his job. 

 We got a fish on the last day. He's an old bird and he 

 must be tired out." 



"Maybe he's not as old as you think," Lou said. 



Sure enough, another guani bird had settled along- 

 side of Charlie. We were certain it was a female guani. 

 Probably there was life left in Charlie yet and even 

 Lou agreed not to interfere with romance. As far as I 

 know, Charlie is free-loading and courting on the 

 Humboldt to this day. 



That night, when the marlin weighed in at 321 

 pounds, a new record for women's twenty-pound test, 

 no one was more delighted than Lou. "The best of 

 them all," he said. "The very best of them all." 



"Thank you," I said, I hope modestly. 



Mario chimed in, ''Grande'^ He kept repeating, 

 ''Grander 



