206 LOCUSTS AND WILD HONEY 



his horse, which had eaten but little since coming 

 into the woods, the poor creature was so disturbed 

 by the loneliness and the black flies; I, to make 

 preparations for dinner, while my companion lazily 

 took his rod and stepped to the edge of the big pool 

 in front of camp. At the first introductory cast, 

 and when his fly was not fifteen feet from him upon 

 the water, there was a lunge and a strike, and ap- 

 parently the fisherman had hooked a bowlder. I was 

 standing a few yards below, engaged in washing out 

 the coffee-pail, when I heard him call out : 



" I have got him now ! " 



" Yes, I see you have, " said I, noticing his bend- 

 ing pole and moveless line; "when I am through, 

 I will help you get loose." 



"No, but I'm not joking," said he; "I have 

 got a big fish." 



I looked up again, but saw no reason to change 

 my impression, and kept on with my work. 



It is proper to say that my companion was a nov- 

 ice at fly-fishing, never having cast a fly till upon 

 this trip. 



Again he called out to me, but, deceived by his 

 coolness and nonchalant tones, and by the lethargy 

 of the fish, I gave little heed. I knew very well 

 that, if I had struck a fish that held me down in that 

 way, I should have been going through a regular 

 war-dance on that circle of bowlder-tops, and should 

 have scared the game into activity if the hook had 

 failed to wake him up. But as the farce continued 

 I drew near. 



