212 SALMON FISHING IN THE TWEED 



thought, the advantage on my side, for the brae 

 was three or four feet aboon the water, and I 

 strack him with a' my pith. Whither the mid 

 grain had straken him on the back fin, I took nae 

 time then to consider ; but the fourteen pund waster 

 stottit off his back as if he had been a bag o' wool. 



"A cauld sweet cam' owre me, an' I believe 

 every hair on my body crap. I was dead sure it 

 was the deil himseT that had been permitted to 

 throw himsel' in my way for breaking the Sabbath ! 

 For I had begun to tie up the lights as soon as I 

 shook up the callant ; an' it was hardly twal 

 o'clock. I pu'd the burnin' light out o' his hand, 

 and dash'd it in the Queed, threw him on my back 

 as fast as I could, an' was hardly able to stilt the 

 water again for vera dread. 



" I needna say we were soon in our beds ; and 

 I took the callant in aside me, for he was to the 

 full as feard, poor fellow, as I was, — an' mair. For 

 when I got time, an' turn'd calm eneugh to 

 consider, I began to see it couldna weel be auld 

 Clutie, for I could mind o' seein' the verra een, an' 

 gib an' teeth and the gapin' mouth o' the kipper. 

 And by and by, I cam' to be certain sure it was 

 neither mair nor less than the big monster I had 

 seen i' daylight. Sae wi' that settlement there 

 cam' the question, How could I get another 

 chance ? aweel, I lay still till just afore sky- 

 break, which I kend baith by my watch, and the 

 cock that had been through the night as quiet as 

 the kye aneath him. I waken'd Sandy wi' muckle 

 ado this time, and he had nae grit broo' o' the 

 business : but, however, be that as it may, we tied 



