158 PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 



his line as savagely as a forty-pound salmon would 

 have done. The strike was magnificent, and the 

 rush and resistance gave promise of a long fight. 

 It was quite in vain that he tried to reel him in. 

 The fish fought like a tiger, and not only compelled 

 the Judge to frequently give him line, but rendered 

 it necessary to follow him up to save the threatened 

 tackling. So, through the pool he went on a run, 

 then over the rapids with a rush, and down the 

 swift water for half a mile, like a race-horse. His 

 headlong movements were simply irresistible, and 

 there was nothing for it but to follow his lead. So, 

 the canoe and the fish dashed on together, the 

 Judge in an ecstacy of delight with the magnificent 

 play the gallant fellow was giving him. In the 

 height of the battle, angler and gaffer pronounced 

 him a twenty-pounder at least, and would have 

 scorned to take off a single ounce from their esti- 

 mate. And so the struggle continued for half an 

 hour, hot and heavy, the Judge all aglow with per- 

 spiration and excitement, when the fish was brought 

 to gaff, and came up a five-pound trout instead of 

 a twenty-pound salmon! But "mum was the 

 word ! " and the gaffer was faithful to his promise. 

 He gave no sign ; and it was not until some others 

 of us had related similar experiences that the Judge 

 revealed this adventure with an imaginary twenty- 

 pound salmon which turned out to be simply a five- 

 pound trout. 



