382 



77ie Story 

 of Kopseep 



and that holds on spite of all his shaking 

 and jumping. 



He is down in the pool below now, resting 

 for an instant in the eddy under a big rock. 

 Three fourths of your line is already out of 

 the reel, and if he makes another rush down- 

 stream you must lose him. Down you go, 

 lively ! Scrambling over the rocks, flounder- 

 ing through the water, slipping, sliding, stum- 

 bling, clown you go ; all the while with your 

 rod up and bent to keep a strain on the fish, 

 and with the reel singing its rhythmic zum, 

 zum,znm, as you hurriedly gather in the line. 



Get below your salmon now, and stay be- 

 low him if you possibly can ; for then he 

 will have to fight against the current as well 

 as against the spring of your rod. As you 

 carry out the cunning maneuver Kopseep 

 starts off in another series of wild leaps 

 and rushes, swings wide across the river, and 

 again darts below you. He lies quiet in one 

 deep spot where the pull of your rod will just 

 balance the push of the current. The line 

 stands straight up, humming steadily, while 

 a spurt of white water curls up beside it. 



