OCTOBER 263 



darkness, been near the surface when 

 close to us ; it had been from the bottom 

 of the water, eight or nine feet deep, that 

 he had shown his leisurely contempt. I 

 wondered, Next time he was in -shore 

 would it be possible to persuade him, in 

 consideration of the toil we had jointly 

 undergone, to come half-way up ? In that 

 case, and John being prone on the bank 

 at the port of arrival, with his gaff aslant 

 in the water to the hilt, the episode 

 might be brought to an event. I would 

 try. . . . With might and main I raised 

 the rod, and did so not in vain. Dis- 

 tinctly I felt him coming up, and not 

 yet turning to go out. . . . Was this the 

 moment to say " Now ! " and let John 

 strike on chance ? What, after all, 

 would it matter if he missed ? The 

 salmon and I would be just as we were. 

 A jerk of the gaff against the line would 

 be deplorable ; but, as the line was 

 vertical, there was not much risk of 

 that. . . . "Now!" . . . John had not 

 missed ; but he was still prone. Evidently 



