THE BATTLERS 105 



man. Their grace and beauty masked a 

 nature subtle as the serpent, patient as the 

 setter, and terrible as the cougar. 



It was fitting that in Old Black Bass's 

 career he should face this ancient foe. The 

 highest selection of his own race, a fitting 

 survival of all the Micropterus Salmoides 

 that had gone before, it was meet that he as 

 the representative of his line should stand 

 against this primordial contender. 



Nor did the giant leader of the pickerel 

 school seem dismayed at the prospect. 

 He waited expectant, motionless save for 

 gentle swaying of paired fins, lidless eyes 

 unwavering, an antagonist that should ask 

 no quarter and give none. 



Among primitive men leaders alone 

 fought first. Thus not the army behind 

 him, but Goliath alone stalked forth to con- 

 tend with Israel's choicest. So now Old 

 Black Bass moved past his school and stood 

 out solitary as the representative of his kind. 

 And by silken movement of his tail the 

 giant pickerel advanced a foot. 



The voices of the past whispered wisdom 

 to Old Black Bass, speaking gently as a 

 coach calls directions to his nine. Whis- 



