16 The American Angler 
the encouraging words of our trusty 
guide as my reluctant beauty rushed 
once more in his unceasing efforts for 
liberty. How bravely he fought. ‘‘Look 
out, miss; he’s going to jump again,”’ 
and his bronzed sides flashed in the 
morning sun as he leaped high out of 
water in his gallant efforts to escape. 
But I had lowered my tip and was 
ready for him as he sped away with im- 
petuous rush to the whirring music of 
the reel, so dear to the angler’s ear. 
And now struggling again to the sur- 
face, in vain but frantic efforts to rid 
him of the hated steel, he leaped into 
the air once more, then dived below, 
while the hissing line proclaimed his 
angry speed. No sulking was there for 
this brave fellow; he fought to the end, 
though his last effort cost him dear. 
But his strength was fast ebbing, and 
while I reeled the line he slowly yielded — 
and showed his side, swimming in less- 
ening circles asI gradually brought him 
along side in unconditional surrender. 
Then, at a word, the guide cautiously 
lowered the net beneath him and gently 
lifted him intothe boat. Whata prize! 
What a beauty! What splendid sport! 
With warm congratulations on all sides 
from my companions, who had watched 
the unequal fight with anxious delight 
and trembling fear lest I should by 
some unlucky chance lose, as he lay 
at my feet— 
cool, 
“Crisp, green and with sparkling, 
morning dew— 
‘« A warrior in repose!” 
the scales were brought into requisi- 
tion. ‘*Three pounds and a quarter, 
miss, and as game and finea fish as ever 
swam in water,” was the delightful ex- 
clamation of our guide, as he proudly 
held him aloft for us ‘to admire. 
With varying fortune we continued 
our sport, stopping at different points to 
afford the members of our party an op- 
portunity for still-fishing, and for those 
who had not yet learned tocast. Several 
large pickerel and nota few fine perch 
were, in this manner, added to our string. 
Five more bass, the smailest weighing 
one and three-quarter pounds, fell to my 
lot as the result of this morning’s glori- 
ous sport. The. sun was now fast ap- 
proaching meridian, and as suggestive 
inquiriés were already being made 
as to where we should ‘‘squat”’ for 
luncheon, we selected, by common con- 
sent, a beautiful point of the lake where 
an enormous boulder lay at the water’s 
edge, and which our guide told us was 
called the Panther rock. ‘The scene of 
our al fresco meal was beautiful beyond 
compare, affording us, as it did, both 
ample shade and a splendid view of 
every foot of the lake. With appetites 
sharpened by our morning’s exercise, 
we fell to without ceremony, and while 
one of our party made a pot of fragrant 
coffee, another spread a snowy cloth 
upon the moss covered ground as we 
unpacked our baskets. Long before 
we had ceased to discuss the daintiest of 
ham and chicken sandwiches, and the 
most delicious potted tongue, our 
guide appeared upon the ground again 
with a large bowl of fine blackberries, 
which he had gathered by way of dessert 
from bushes, which we subsequently 
discovered growing all around us in the 
most luxuriant profusion, and loaded 
with luscious fruit. Added to our keen 
appreciation of the splendid sport we 
had enjoyed, was the exciting pleasure 
of fighting our battles over again, and 
recounting, for our own delectation, the 
exciting episodes of the morning’s catch 
and, judging from the deep interest 
which each recital commanded, the for- 
tunes of that morning would furnish a 
topic of never ending interest for many 
‘ 
