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The Big Trout. 177 



moment felt a terrific tug. He had gone at it 

 instantly like a tiger, and went straight off 

 with it, taking out about twelve yards of hne. 

 " Now, old crafty, your last hour has come ; 

 you have eaten your first and last shrimp ; no 

 more turning up your nose at all my dainty 

 offerings." My first care was to get the rod 

 free from the hawthorn bush, which I succeeded 

 in doing; watching the direction the line was 

 in, I made out that the fish had gone across to 

 the other side of the stream. 



" Come on," said I to my man (who w^as 

 behind with the landing-net), " you shall soon 

 have him in the net ; but be careful, whatever 

 you do, not to touch the line." The fish had 

 as yet made no signs. " I think," said I, " I 

 had better send the hook well into him, as the 

 skin of the shrimp is thick." 



Relying upon my test of the hook and gut, 

 L gave a most vigorous upward stroke or turn 

 of the wrist. Oh, Lor ! I shall never forget it : 

 the line flew out of the water, the shrimp with 

 the hook remained in the fish, and I never saw 

 him after. It was the jerk that did it, for the 

 gut had parted just where it was whipped on to 

 the hook. It served me perfectly right ; but 



