IV 



HE development of Old Black Bass 

 that first year illustrates the law that 

 to him that hath shall be given and 

 from him that hath not shall be taken away 

 even that which he hath. 



By some queer quirk of physical heredity 

 he had entered into the inheritance of a 

 body destined to make him a fish among ten 

 thousand. Already his proportions were 

 exceptional. His body was richly dark 

 with the glow of unimpaired health. The 

 maxillary of his large mouth swept back 

 well behind the eye, and made his strike 

 for food deadly sure. His thick, flat back 

 was ribbed with nine sharp spines, and be- 



37 



