136 ADVENTUKES IN THE WILDERNESS. 



" Mr. Murray, that fish is ugly ; if he should get 

 the line over his back, he 'd smash the rod like a 

 pipe-stem ! " 



" He won't get it over his back," replied I. 

 " Eeady with your paddle ; he 's getting too much 

 breath." 



" But I say," said John, looking affectionately 

 at the rod as he took up the paddle ; " if I was in 

 your place, and he did get the line over his shoul- 

 der, I would part my tackle before I smashed that 

 rod." 



" I won't do either, John " ; and as I answered I 

 gave a jerk, and the trout started again. But why 

 repeat ? Why tell of flights and rushes which 

 followed ? Twice did he break the surface a hun- 

 dred feet away, flinging himseK out like a black 

 bass. Once did he partially get the leader over his 

 back and dashed away like lightning ; while John, 

 anxious to save so true a rod from ruin, shouted 

 to me, " Part the gut ! " But who ever knew a 

 fisherman, when his blood is up, refuse a risk to 

 save the game ? I screamed to John to shoot the 

 boat one side ; and when the last foot of silk was 

 given I advanced* the butt. The heavy fish and 

 pliant rod were pitted one against the other. 

 Three days later, in another struggle, the old rod 

 parted; but this time it triumphed. For a mo- 

 ment the quivering tip rattled upon the bars of 

 the reel. The fish struggled and shook himself. 



