332 BROADLAND SPORT 



soon played out, and ten minutes later we pulled it into 

 the boat. It was a healthy, good -conditioned fish, scaling 

 about six pounds, lightly hooked, and as game as fish of that 

 size usually are. On the other hand, Hubert's fish was by 

 no means so easily landed. Three times he reeled it to the 

 boat after he had played it for a good fifteen minutes, and 

 three times it rushed from him, taking out ten or fifteen 



O 



yards of line on each occasion. We were watching him with 

 the greatest interest when he frantically signalled to us to 

 come to his assistance. Thinking that he would hardly do 

 this unless he had hooked something extraordinary we made 

 all haste to obey, and a few moments later had punted up 

 behind him and boarded the flat. He was so excited he 

 could hardly speak. When he did so he gasped, " For 

 heaven's sake gaff him I can't. Don't lose him whatever 

 you do. Isn't he a shark and no mistake ? " 



Again he reeled in the fish, but just as we were about to 

 plant the gaff in its side it gave a turn of its tail and as 

 nearly as possible broke the trace. 



We rebuked Hubert forcibly but he immediately retali- 

 ated in a similar train, for he was so over anxious to success- 

 fully land the fish that we all but lost it. 



For the fifth time he reeled it in, and on this occasion 

 no mistake was made. A well-directed jerk, a splash, and 

 a beautiful pike of about eleven or twelve pounds in weight 

 was jumping on the bottom of the boat. 



It was Hubert's first fish and his joy knew no bounds. 

 So enchanted was he with his catch that he simply sat 

 gloating over the prize for nearly an hour before he would 

 attempt to try for another. Sitting thus we left him and 

 worked our way all round the water, spinning every bay, 

 hole and corner that was thought at all likely to hold a 

 fish. 



At midday we repaired to the before-mentioned watch- 

 house to lunch and while away a couple of hours sketching. 



From two-thirty to five we fished assiduously spinning, 

 trolling and with snap-tackle. 



