The Catfish Family 249 



made a good basket we were ready to quit, as the 

 evening shadows were lengthening and the air 

 was becoming decidedly cool. I was taking my 

 rod apart, but my friend wanted to make "just 

 one more cast," which happened to be on an 

 inviting-looking "cat-hole." As I was tying the 

 strings of my rod case I heard him exclaim joy- 

 fully, " I've got the boss bass of the season ! " 

 Turning, I perceived him wildly dancing on the 

 edge of the pool, his rod bent to an alarming 

 curve, and the strain on his line evidently near 

 the danger point. I watched in vain for the leap 

 of the bass, and then concluded he had business 

 on hand for an uncertain period, for I felt sure 

 that he had hooked a channel-cat of consider- 

 able avoirdupois. The fight was well sustained, 

 and a gallant one on both sides ; but it seemed 

 impossible for the light rod to bring the fish near 

 enough to slip the landing-net under it. Finally 

 he backed away from the stream, drawing the fish 

 close to the shore, where I netted it — a channel- 

 cat of five pounds. When my friend saw what it 

 was, he was the most disappointed and disgusted 

 man in Kentucky. " Great Scott ! " he yelled, 

 " I nearly ruined my rod for a confounded cat- 

 fish. " — "Well," said I, "you had your fun; he 



