170 SALMON-SPEARING 



whack against the rock, and, with a vain wriggle 

 and struggle, fell back into the pool beneath. 



" You may see more of him yet, Sandy," said 

 Alick Gordon, the elder of the brothers, " if mean- 

 while you will try and get me a little gravel." 



A few minutes, and Sandy returned, bringing his 

 cap full of sand and small stones, which Alick, 

 taking, threw in handfuls down the pool, close by 

 the edge of the rock. The result of this mysterious 

 proceeding, being closely watched by the group, was 

 announced by a general murmur of satisfaction as, 

 almost straight beneath them, a string of bubbles 

 rose to the surface of the stream and floated idly 

 away. (For the benefit of those who have never 

 seen this piece of fishing-craft, we may explain that, 

 as a fish is lying at the bottom with his head up 

 stream, allowing the water to run into his mouth 

 and out through his gills — his mode of breathing 

 — some of the gravel as it sinks down enters his 

 mouth, and as the fish ejects it, he sends up a few 

 bubbles, which mark the spot he is lying in.) 



" Is that your friend, Sandy ? " cried Alick, on 

 seeing the success of his device. " You ought to 

 know him if you saw him again, so come along 

 down here with me." 



Away went the speaker to the farther end of the 

 pool, where, by scrambling and swinging, he managed 



