A FIRST SPRINGER AND SOME OTHERS 93 



It was encouraging to see the men step forth with gaff 

 and priest again. For twenty minutes the salmon kept 

 down and never quiet, and then very slowly I winched 

 up the fifty yards which had been taken out in instal- 

 ments. The silver swirl satisfied us all, and presently 

 the career of a stately 19-pounder was ended. 



After luncheon we put out again, and I was tolerably 

 certain that if no other fish came to boat I should not 

 break my heart nor die of grief. The taking of that 

 handsome pair of spring salmon was an admirable tonic, 

 and I resumed my Scott in a contented mood. After 

 three chapters the mood was not quite the same ; 

 after a fourth I felt somewhat ill-used. Two hours, in 

 short, passed, and the wind had veered round to the 

 north. In other words, it was cold. Tom Thumb 

 warmed me up eventually ; its gudgeon had been 

 taken, and I had something in secure custody. A big 

 one, at any rate, of what quality we should determine 

 later. I had grave doubts, however, of the issue, for 

 he terminated each run by coming to the top and 

 swirling there most uncannily. Patience and the butt 

 in time revealed him the best fish of the day, and I 

 heaved a sigh of relief and sat down on a rock for 

 breath when the gaff lifted him out, the priest shrived 

 him, and the balance stood at 2o| Ib. A truly hand- 

 some leash of salmon ! 



