OCTOBER 253 



which one would willingly run after a 

 salmon in the dark. 



On consideration John admitted this. 

 Also he perceived that, as we could not 

 go down indefinitely, it was better not to 

 go down at all until absolutely obliged to. 

 We would keep the thirty yards as a 

 reserve against the extreme measures 

 which the salmon would probably adopt. 



" But what if he runs up ? " asked 

 John in an afterthought ; adding, " That 

 would be even waur than his fleein' doon." 



The clump of trees at our shoulder 

 completely blocking the way upstream, 

 that was true ; it had not until then 

 occurred to me. The salmon had not 

 shown any disposition towards running 

 up. Now he was not even alarming in 

 his tendency the other way. His head 

 was upstream again, and I had recovered 

 most of the line that had been rushed off; 

 he had been moving in half -circular 

 directions from one side of the river to 

 the other, and, sedate but strong, was still 

 upon that course. 



