392 AMERICAN GAME FISHES. 



Pickerel was fighting to get my line round some of the roots 

 that run out into the stream. The hook held good but my 

 fish was too cunning for me; a quick movement and my line 

 was in a tangle. I stooped to disentangle the line, my head 

 well over the river, when a fearful butt, a plunge, a splash, 

 a yell, a sputter, and a half-choking boy came to the surface. 

 The moment he got his breath, there was a string of threats 

 and vows of death and vengeance against the old ram. Ha- 

 tred and scorn could not wipe out this bitter insult. If it 

 must be a fight, let us have it out now; but the ram was 

 rampant; never an inch would he yield, not even to let the 

 boy get out of the water. Hadn't he put in some good licks 

 and run up the pasture, and jumped at the end of the stream 

 to come at me.^ Hadn't he come to accept the challenge.? 

 Hadn't he took me at my word and downed me.' and I was 

 all this time swimming. Yes he had got the best of me ; but 

 I must get out or drown ! Making for the bank, I seized the 

 butt of my rod, detached it, and as Mr. Ram charged, I gave 

 him a crack across his nose that halted him. 



I was out on the bank in a second, and ready for the sec- 

 ond charge — in rebuttal. I cracked him one over the head, 

 and then began a picnic! 



I was cold and shivering when I came out of that mill- 

 stream, but in a few minutes my clothes were steaming from the 

 .violence of my exertion. He had ram'd me once, and tried 

 many times to again butt me into the river. I could swim 

 like a duck, but was opposed to being driven into the water 

 like a musk-rat. Both of us were tired out, and my only hope 

 of victory was in hanging on the horns of the brute — and 

 getting in whacks, when I could, on his head and sides. 



I let go and lifted my club; but he turned tail, and ran. I 

 loosed my fish line and fortunately the Pickerel was still 

 there. I took him in, rod and line, but the butt was a total 

 wreck. Taking my two fish I made my way to the house, 

 where mother, meeting me at the door, with wondering eyes 

 exclaimed — "You'll be drowned yet!" 



