IV lib and *A gainst tbe Grains 37 



the ground. Just then Jack ran his nose against a 

 hot one aimed at random, and as he sat back his 

 hand chanced to light on the big pike's head. With 

 a yowl like a mad cat he leaped up and whirled the 

 long body of the fish hissing through the air. The 

 tail landed with a swat, like two boards struck to- 

 gether, fair on his foe's mouth, only to rise and 

 whistle again and reach the jaw with a fearful crack. 

 This blow broke the fish into fragments, and Jack, 

 with a quarter section of head and battered flesh 

 clutched tight in his right " maulie," piled into his 

 fallen enemy and belabored himself lustily. From 

 below the Catling of fishmeat presently came the 

 required squeal, and the fight was done. 



Jack left fish and grains and marched straight 

 across country, madder than a wet hen. As the 

 defeated one washed at the creek the three sinful 

 spectators rolled on the ground and howled with 

 boundless joy, and I had finally to grab the fish and 

 grains and flee as best I could for laughter from 

 insistent proffers of flasks. When three fields from 

 the battleground I could hear the two yelling with 

 delight, and I'll lay that the fighter appreciated the 

 force of " save me from my friends " before they got 

 through with him. 



