BOD AND REEL. 137 



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 toward him, 

 and as it glided by John passed the landing-net 

 l)eneath 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, whose 

 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 



