BULLETS AND THEIE BILLETS 



perhaps with chagrin at our own blind- 

 ness, blindness of the mind rather than 

 of the organ itself. Eeturning to camp 

 after a day's fishing in the upper 

 reaches of a North Shore river, the path 

 carried us beside a pool that was on a 

 friend's beat. My companion was plod- 

 ding along in the rear with bowed head, 

 five salmon on his back. As we came out 

 on the stretch of sand that lay between 

 the river and the high wooded bank, I 

 made one of those purposeless remarks 

 that pass for conversation. "I wonder 



if Mr. got anything here?" The 



reply "He got two salmon here," 

 brought me to a standstill. All day long 

 we had been together, on pools some 

 miles above. We had seen no one, no 

 sound could have carried the distance, 

 and yet without delaying, glancing 

 around, or even raising his head the 

 gaffman made this announcement in his 

 quiet even tones. 



186 



