316 “Lhe American Angler 
if I don’t believe it was a put up job,” 
and Drummer angrily busied himself 
in getting something fit to eat. 
This did not take long, for Drummer 
holds a diploma at this business, and 
as soon as his good-natured laugh was 
once more ringing up and down the 
river, Scissors knew all danger was 
over, and came back. 
The next morning we packed our 
traps and started fornew waters. Just 
where we should land was uncertain, 
but our intention was to go somewhere 
below Mendon. ‘The river below the 
“Ox “bow, as far .as,. Mendon, is 
nothing extra for angling, and we 
pushed along at a fair rate of speed. 
In the town, which we reached about 
2 o'clock, we laid in a new supply of 
provisions, and then proceeded upon 
our way. 
About two miles below town, we 
came to an island, and turning into the 
shallow part of the stream, next the 
south bank, found a fairly good place 
for camp, and were soon comfortably 
fixed with supper prepared and eaten 
and ourselves ready for the evening 
fishing. We did not start until the 
sun was about down, and for once to 
use a slang expression, ‘‘we were not 
in it.’”’ In the short time we were fish- 
ing, I had three or four excellent rises 
and missed everyone. ‘True, I caught 
a number of small ones of ¥Y I1b., or 
thereabouts, barely large enough to 
keep. : 
Drummer started in close to camp 
on the south side of the island and had 
somewhat better luck, but he also was 
unfortunate. He hooked one large 
bass, and after playing it a short time 
his leader parted, and he had the vexa- 
tion of losing a fine fish as well as part 
of his tackle. Scissors fared about as 
I did. 
The next day Scissors and Drummer 
had fixed upon for their departure, 
business demanding it, and I was to be 
left alone. Anxious to have a parting 
swing of the fly, they arranged to arise 
early and indulge themselves, as they 
must be at the depot at ro. Four o’clock 
found them up and stirring, and as the 
morning was very cool they took the 
boat. Drummer manned the oars, and 
Scissors with bait, rod and minnows, 
tried faithfully to lure some denizen of 
the river to his creel. Long and pa- 
tiently he cast without any brilliant 
success and, finally turning to Drum- 
mer, said he had better get up and try 
his luck. Accordingly, they changed 
places,and Drummercommenced swing- 
ing his pliant Bristol. This change 
was made just around the corner or 
bend in the river at a place where it 
reaches ahead, nearly straight for about 
three-quarters of a mile, and without 
pools, although there are two quite 
long stretches of weeds next the chan- 
nel that form excellent cover for the 
bass. Four years ago, upon a trip over 
this same water, I saw a school of bass 
startled out of their weedy retreat in 
this place, that in numbers must have 
amounted to roo at least, and possibly 
more. ' 
Rowing slowly along upon the west 
side of the stream, Drummer continued 
his casting in a most careful manner. 
Presently, three or four bass were seen 
moving leisurely across toward the east 
side, and Drummer skillfully landed 
his flies just in front of them. Witha 
lazy roll one of them took the tail fly, 
and with a sharp turn of the wrist the 
hook was sent home. This caused a 
surprise party at both ends of the rod, 
which suddenly shut up almost like 
a pocket-knife, and then straightened 
out as quickly as a large bass shot up 
— eee 
