ROD AND REEL. id 7 



but the tenacious fibres would not part. He ceased 

 to battle, came panting to the surface, and rolled 

 over upon his side. The boat shot to\A^ard him, 

 and as it glided by John passed the landing-net 

 beneath him, and the brave fighter lay upon the 

 bottom board. His tail, across its base, measured 

 five inches ; and his length from tip to tip was 

 seventeen inches and three quarters ! 



" John," I said, twisting round in my seat and 

 facing him, — " John, I should have lost that fish 

 or smashed the rod, if it had not been for your 

 paddle." 



" Of course, of course," replied John ; " that 's 

 my business. Those fly-rods are delicate things. 

 Like women, they should n't be put to heavy work 

 if you can help it, but they are able to bear a 

 heavy strain if necessary. But with all I could 

 do I thought it was gone once. I don't think I 

 ever came so near breaking this paddle as on that 

 last sweep. It made my flesh creep to hear the 

 old rod creak. I really believe my own back 

 would have snapped if it had parted." 



We had captured six trout in two hours, wliose 

 average length was sixteen inches and a half. I 

 asked John if we should take another. 



" I don't think it will be sin to take one more," 

 he responded. " I saw a tail show itself out there," 

 — and he nodded over his left shoulder, — " which 

 looked like a lady's fan. If there is a larger trout 



