44 DAYS IN THE OPEN 



levy upon them. So out in the river that fish must 

 come while the fisherman takes his chances. It 

 was a long, hard fight, carried on a good part of 

 the time in swift water where the chances for the 

 fish's escape were excellent; but at last, tired out 

 and helpless, he was led into the still and shallow 

 water near the shore. There, just as the fisherman 

 was reaching down for him, the old politician gave 

 a last lunge that snapped the snood, and he was 

 free; but before he could gather strength to swim 

 away the Preacher lay down on him, and the days 

 of Hon. S. Maximus Fontaine were numbered. 



A new fly was fastened to the leader, and the dis- 

 turbed citizens were invited to interview it. A 

 half-dozen, so small that they did not know any 

 better, were gathered in by the Preacher in one- 

 two-three order. Then came a tug that meant 

 business, and the Preacher began kicking himself 

 for forgetting that landing net. It seems that a 

 big politician from the Miramichi had come up to 

 see how Hon. S. Maximus managed things, and as 

 he had seen his friend tackle that first strange in- 

 sect and disappear, he concluded that this was the 

 proper thing to do. He followed his friend to the 

 basket of the Preacher, but not until he had in- 

 dulged in some contortions that nearly gave the 

 sportsman nervous prostration. 



By this time the shadows had thickened and 

 George was yelling: "Supper's ready." He was 

 mistaken. It took about fifteen minutes to dress 



