THE ANGLER AND HUNTSMAN 83 



in the way it cuts the water imagine how this plunging, 

 jerking, spirited fighter makes your frail-looking, slim, 

 six-ounce rod bend to the danger point. Ah! no wonder 

 you give away to him, fearing to attempt to hold by main 

 force. 



Splash, and he darts to the surface and in a seeming 

 frenzy throws himself into the air a shining silvery, quiv- 

 ering mass, filled with fight and anger. . Splash ! again 

 and he dives down to the bottom; you feel the burn of the 

 silk line as it slides through your almost trembling fingers. 



By now he has you sweating; you start to get up, you 

 sit down, you are on the anxious seat every one of the sec- 

 onds which seem minutes. 



Now, what do you think? Is he equal to your skill, 

 your presence of mind, your craftiness or are you equal to 

 his cunning, his quickness, and his strength ? 



Then slowly, oh, so slowly, you lead him to the boat. 

 Your hand slips into the water you disdain to use a net 

 or a gaff on a prize like this and then- 

 Swish! and he goes again not conquered yet, you 

 must let him have this final fling. Again you slowly bring 

 him to the boat and then your fingers slip down into his 

 gills or jaws, you swing him into the boat. He is yours 

 then. 



That's casting for game fish that's why men look 

 forward to every holiday; why they steal away from their 

 daily work as often as possible and use their Sundays as 

 frequently as convenient for fishing trips. 



That's why men leave luxurious homes and rough it 

 at a camp, put up with fares far inferior to what they 

 get at home, leave nice soft beds and sleep even in a barn, 

 rise at daybreak, when at home to rise at eight would be a 

 hardship, row a boat mile after mile without tiring or com- 

 plaining all these and a lot more trials of like nature will 

 men stand 



And for why? We know of but one answer. It's for 



