FAILURES AND SUCCESSES 



and went back to its old tactics, quickening its pace and fling- 

 ing itself high out of water as it shot the second small rapid 

 into the third and last part of the pool. Here the water 

 runs deep and still all the way down to the bridge above the 

 farmhouse, but that bridge, a solid arch of stone, threatened 

 disaster to my hopes if the fish once succeeded in reaching it. 

 There could have been no possibility of following it under the 

 arch in the then condition of the water, so that, if it once 

 reached the obstacle, a break was inevitable. The distance 

 was less than a hundred yards now, but I did not lose all hope, 

 as it was evident that the strain was at last telling on my gallant 

 antagonist, which now began to come to the surface and, for 

 one moment, even floundered on its side. For the first time 

 Duncan removed the cork from the point of the gaif, and his 

 face wore a less dolorous expression. He was by no means at 

 his ease, for he had been accustomed to see much heavier 

 rods always used on his river, and he considered that I was 

 only tempting Providence by my originality in using a single- 

 handed rod. So conservative was he, like all gillies, that I 

 think he was divided in his mind between his wish to gaff the 

 fish of his life and the desire that I should be taught a salu- 

 tary lesson on the imprudence of fighting with unorthodox 

 weapons and disregarding the advice of age and experience. 

 All, however, went well. The fish was well in hand at last, 

 and was, without further difficulty, guided to the spot where 

 Duncan crouched under the bank, gaff in hand ; and as he 

 lifted the spent giant on the gaff and deposited its gleaming 

 body at my feet, it was clear that he had no thought but for the 



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