92 How T Became a Sportsman. 



see how deep it was, when, as I was just 

 drawing it up again, I felt something; and 

 after carefully feeling it, with my finger and 

 thumb on the line as gently as if I was 

 handling a silk thread, but bearing that in 

 mind, still as firmly as I dared, I felt a most 

 decided tug and a shake. " By Jove, squire, 

 I've got him ! " 



" Well done ! " says the squire, '' give him 

 time ; " and out comes his watch. " Give him 

 ten minutes." But before that time had ex- 

 pired, I found my captive steadily sailing away. 

 " All right now," says the squire, " he has 

 pouched it " (as it is called) " where he took 

 it. Strike him now ; '' and I struck him by 

 giving a smart upward turn of the wrist. He 

 shook his head, and took out about forty yards 

 of line ; but I kept a pretty firm pressure on 

 him, and grudged him every yard he took. 

 At length he made a turn, and came back 

 pretty close to us, w4ien I wound up as quickly 

 as I could ; he still kept close to the bottom, 

 and away he went again as vigorous as ever. 

 When he made the next turn he began to come 

 nearer the surface, and as he passed us about 

 fifteen yards ofi'^ we caught sight of him — a 



