A Wise Old Bass 



But today! Ah yes, today, fateful, cruel thirteenth 

 day of June, the search for one brief moment was 

 ended the monster bass had finally arrived at last ! 

 I was fishing for great northern pike (which the 

 Wisconsin law allows before June fifteenth) and the 

 big bull bass struck savagely at the spoon hook and 

 hung himself (which the Wisconsin law strictly for- 

 bids before June fifteenth). Having glimpsed the 

 monster as he struck, all else was forgotten fishing 

 laws included. Carefully, very carefully, the fight 

 waged madly on, now to the advantage of the fish, 

 then again to mine. But the hook held tight, and 

 after seeming hours of dread suspense the prize was 

 finally landed. 



" Eureka ! " I cried, as the scales pulled down to 

 seven and three-quarter pounds ; " the long search is 

 ended! The prize is mine at last!'* 



" Not so fast, my friend," said Albert Lee, the 

 game warden, who was in the boat with me. And 

 then the delirious dream came to a sudden, abrupt 

 end. The cruel truth flashed through my brain. The 

 monster bass would have to be turned loose again. 

 The stern laws of the State of Wisconsin demanded 

 it; so also did Albert Lee. Drat the game laws! 

 Double drat Albert Lee! Could anything be more 

 tragic ? 



And even so, the long search is again resumed. 



93 



