98 AN ANGLER'S LINES. 



these sudden tugs awakened misgivings in my 

 mind as to the strength of my trace of single 

 salmon gut which had seen service on previous 

 occasions. Finding these tactics did not 

 answer, the pike yielded submissively for a 

 few yards to the shortening of the line, then, 

 with a plunge, dashed off in the direction of 

 his brother in adversity. Doubt of that trace 

 .again obtruded itself and I dared not apply 

 much pressure, although I noticed, with ap- 

 prehension, that the two lines were drawing 

 dangerously close together. They met, 

 crossed, and a foul was only averted by the 

 passing of my companion's rod over my hastily 

 ducked head. Both fish were now making a 

 hard fight for it, and, from the strength mine 

 put forth, I was hoping for a far heavier 

 specimen than the bare 5 -pounder it proved to 

 be. I had but time to lift it in, when the 

 other required a similar attention, but, although 

 the bigger of the two, it failed to reach 6 lb., 

 the limit for this water. 



A long period of inaction followed; even 



