242 Salmon Fishing. 



and now, if we don't beat him, we ought to be 

 beaten ourselves." 



The sudden rebound from despair to delight, 

 did I never before experience to anything like 

 the extent as now in my salmon-fishing ex- 

 perience. 



" I must try my best, Peter, to keep him from 

 that rapid water, or down he will go again like 

 a shot." " Aye, sir, and if he does get beyond 

 the Claypits, you can't follow him an inch 

 farther." It was a trying time for both of us ; 

 so high was the river, and so hard to keep the 

 salmon from shooting out into the thick of the 

 stream. 



" He'll go down after all. Well done, you 

 managed him bravely then," said Peter. 



If I could but get the fish into the slack- 

 water, thought I, it would be very soon all up 

 with him ; and more than once did the tough 

 rod bend well-nigh double, in my endeavours 

 to do it. So eager was Peter that he almost 

 upset my equanimity, by making a sudden dash 



