Tragic Fishing Moments 



will it dart up the handle of a landing net to bite 

 viciously at one's fingers, but the mink did both of 

 these things. And after some minutes of spectacular 

 battling it remained at the end of the leader, snapping 

 its wicked looking teeth, seeming to regret that the 

 length of the rod kept it out of the boat, apparently 

 as fresh as when it began to fight. 



" How are you going to take it off the hook ? " I 

 asked the guide. 



" I'm not going to," responded that worthy, briefly. 



Clearly there was no profit in pursuing that course 

 further. Willingly would I have cut the line, had I 

 been sure the mink would escape, but there was an 

 air about the beast which made me believe it would 

 employ its liberty improperly. We seemed to have 

 aroused its evil impulses, and if it should join our 

 party No, we couldn't risk it. Though the mink 

 wasn't large, our boat was too small for four. 



" Can't you think of something? " I asked, turning 

 again to the guide. 



" I didn't know you wanted me to," he answered. 

 " Most folks like to play their catch as long as it'll 

 fight. They say they like a good battle." 



" So do I," I rejoined, with dignity, " but this 

 struggle appears to lack a successful termination, the 

 only thing that makes fighting pleasurable. Employ 

 your native cunning. You should be more than a 

 match for a mere mink ! " 



44 



