A Sportsman at Large 295 



gradually bored down, until the wall of the bank blinked 

 my view of it, and I could only guess its whereabouts ! 



This was playing blind-man's buff with a vengeance ; but 

 I felt that my victim was weakening, so I bade Ned get down 

 into the lane and I would attempt to manoeuvre the fish to 

 the shallow at the end thereof. At the same time, I told 

 him to keep me well informed as to the exact position of the 

 fish, and what it was doing. When I judged that it was 

 within a fair distance of the strand, I called to the son of 

 Erin to wade in with the gaff ; but he seemed an unconscion- 

 able time in so doing. 



" What are you waiting for ? " I cried. 



" Aw' bad cess to ut ! " he shouted back, " ut's me infernal 

 boot-laces phwat's in a knot ! " 



" Damn your boot-laces ! " I screamed. " I've got the 

 fish ready ; get in, boots and all ! " 



" An' is ut meself phwat wud be going inter the wather 

 wid me best Sunday boots on, and thim the ony wans phwat 

 I possess, an' ut's tin good shillin' Oi paid foor 'em on St. 

 Pathrick's day ! The Holy Saints forgive me ! " 



It was no good arguing the matter, so I held on to the 

 captive, which luckily seemed now to be dead-beat. 



At last I heard Ned splash into the water ; but a few seconds 

 later he called out, as it seemed, to the salmon ; 



" Come back, yez dirthy divil, come back ! Faith, yez 

 got me gaff ! " 



What think you had happened ? 



Why, the silly galoot had struck the fish all right, but it 

 had pulled the gaff out of his hand, and had darted away 

 like lightning ; but happily without freeing itself. 



My line ran out again at express speed, and then the gaff 

 handle looking like the periscope of a submarine came into 

 view careering up-stream. I held on manfully, and after a 

 time managed to bring the gaff, with the fish attached, within 

 the reach of Ned's hand ; so that he was able to grasp the 

 staff and hoike the fish a fine nineteen-pounder on to firm, 

 dry land. 



This little story when retailed to the other fishermen and 

 the members of the house-party, caused unlimited hilarity, 



