DOWN STREAM 







twist himself desperately around them 

 and then twist the hook out. A steady 

 quick pull and you feel him on. Then 

 indeed you " give him the butt/' as the 

 fly fishermen say gloryingly. Your lithe 

 birch rod bends in your hands till the tip 

 is near your wrist as you lean desper- 

 ately back with all your strength. The 

 hold of a three-foot eel on the water is 

 tremendous. Until he tires a bit it is 

 almost as good as yours on the birch 

 pole, but steadily, inch by inch, you draw 

 him away out into the pool, where the 

 fight is a fair one. Now his head is 

 above water and his great lithe body 

 whirls like a propeller beneath. Again 

 look out; for when he leaves the water 

 it will be as if he shot out, and you 

 are liable to go with him, backward into 

 the bushes, where he will tie your line 

 into ten thousand knots, break out the 

 107 



