The Weakfish 131 



itself and the hook, swirls with the cur- 

 rent just as it might flow along at its own 

 free will. It barely hides itself beneath 

 the surface ere it is snapped by the game 

 the doctor seeks, and the old man's rod 

 again bends to the play, more violently 

 now and with quicker movements than 

 when the fluke tested its resiliency. We 

 use the landing-net to secure this weak- 

 fish, because the locality does not permit 

 of its being guided over the sod bank to 

 the angler's footing, as the fluke was con- 

 quered. Here the bank is as yet a full 

 foot out of water, while the spot where 

 the great flatfish was landed allowed of 

 the game being floated quite to the doc- 

 tor's ankles. 



My friend is now at the height of good 

 nature, brought about by honest excite- 

 ment, and as I take his rod and lead him 

 toward the shanty, now without apparent 

 foundation beyond the water that has 

 flooded the whole meadow land, and ap- 

 pearing for all the world like a diminutive 



