SAM SLICK THE PROFESSOR LONG TOM. 21 



face. Any slight alarm caused by their first descent 

 upon the breezeless water has now subsided, and as 

 they three favourite flies which we are now to 

 name do hold the even tenor of their way to- 

 wards the unrippled shore, " Sam Slick" leading, 

 the " Professor" mid- way, and " Long Tom" at 

 the lag end, all as it were hastening homeward with 

 rapid strides, no marvel that the attention of some 

 magnificent three pounder, lying in wait below, is 

 suddenly excited: he rises upwards, at first sedately 

 like a king in court, then the broad pectorals are 

 expanded, as quickly closed, the deep rudder is 

 waved from side to side with powerful sway, a 

 rapid dart ensues, a single pectoral is again protruded 

 for a moment, a slight and instantaneous turn takes 

 place, the jagged jaws are closed, he has seized the 

 Professor, and goes down head foremost with a most 

 indignant flourish of the tail ! Now he may cer- 

 tainly do what he likes with his own, but gentle 

 reader, the tackle is either yours or mine. For the 

 sake of illustration let us suppose it yours. Up 

 then with the tip of your rod, which, owing to the 

 dream-like calm already so well described, and for 

 reasons just assigned, is pointing downwards, and 

 almost in a continuous direction with the line a 

 most dangerous posture, seeing that the tug of 

 war then rests entirely on the latter, so up with 

 your rod which action also serves to strike the 

 fish and let the reel ring out as it may. Down he 

 continues to go, Sam Slick beat by a couple of 

 lengths, the Professor engulfed, and invisible even 

 to kelpie's eye, and Long Tom also diving down- 



