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the words were spoken, and the instant 

 the fly fell over the coveted spot, there 

 was a heavy lunge at it. Mesgil can 

 always be trusted to do the right thing 

 in a canoe ; very silently and skilfully he 

 backed the craft to the bar of gravel, 

 where, after perhaps ten minutes of 

 varying fortunes, he had the satisfac- 

 tion of netting a trout of three and a 

 quarter pounds in the literal pink of 

 condition. This was rapidly followed 

 by one of two and a quarter, one of 

 three and three-quarters, and one of five 

 pounds. The last fish fought with great 

 determination, and came clear of the 

 water after a salmon-like rush. More 

 than once have I seen it affirmed in print 

 that the brook trout does not jump after 

 being hooked. This is probably true of 

 small fish, but trout of two pounds 

 weight and upward not infrequently 

 leave the water when on the fly. During 

 a season when attention was particular- 

 ly directed to the point it was observed 



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