FISHERMAN'S LUCK. 73 



bridge we went, and the farmer, his work ever 

 pressing at this season of the year, started home- 

 ward. Sauntering on down the creek I caught 

 just below the bridge, within less than three 

 minutes after he left me, a long-eared sunfish 

 and a goggle-eye. Calling him back I sent- them 

 to his wife who had said before we started that 

 she was "fish hungry.'* 



Below the bridge the foot of the Knobstone 

 bluffs is, on the left, so close to the water's edge 

 that in many places I had to walk in it half 

 shoe deep Down, on down I went, trying every 

 likely place, but not a bite of consequence for a 

 mile or more. Then two catfish and a sunny 

 were hooked from the side of an old root near 

 the lower bridge. Below this bridge a quarter 

 of a mile is a bend and a deep hole partially 

 filled with driftwood. At this, my objective 

 point, I fished two hours. Many short quick 

 bites the sunfish gave but only one was landed. 

 Finally a new place at the base of a half sub- 

 merged root of log gave me a fine goggle-eye 

 and soon afterward a second one, and I was a 

 boy again, rejoicing in my "luck." Baiting 

 with a piece of minnow I got in a minute a 

 long pull which took my cork to the bottom, 

 and hooked, I knew not what, but something 

 that bent the old cane pole its limit. Tugging 

 and pulling, I finally brought above the surface 

 and on to land a large soft-shelled turtle, kick- 



