TROLLING FOB TROUT. 55 



firm between his knees and his thumb pressing the reel, the 

 sportsman gave him a hundred and fifty feet of line, when 

 his efforts began to relax, and as Smith began to reel him 

 in, a moment of dead pull, a holding back like an obstinate 

 mule occurred. The trout was slowly towed in the direc- 

 tion of the boat. Then, as if maddened by the force which 

 impelled him, he dashed furiously forward, the reel answer- 

 ing to his movements and the line always taught, he rose to 

 the surface leaping clear from the water, shaking his head 

 furiously as if to throw loose the fastenings from his jaw. 

 Failing in this, down he plunged fifty feet straight towards 

 the bottom, making the reel hiss by his mad efforts to 

 escape. Still the line was taught, pressing always, towing 

 him towards the boat at every relaxation. At last he rose 

 to the surface, panting and exhausted, permitting himself to 

 be towed almost without an effort, to within twenty feet of 

 his captors. When he saw them, all his fright and all his 

 energies too seemed to be restored, and away he dashed, 

 sciving through the water a hundred and fifty feet out into 

 the lake. But the hook was in his jaw, and he could not 

 escape. After half an hour of beautiful and exciting play, 

 he surrendered or was drowned, and Smith lifted him with 

 his landing net, a splendid ten-pound trout, into his boat. 

 By this time the shadows of twilight were gathering over 

 the lake, and he came ashore. A proud man was Smith, as 

 he lifted that fish from the boat and handed it over to the 

 cook to be dressed for breakfast, and though we had seen 

 the whole performance from our tents, yet he gave .us iu 



