SALMON-SPEARING 1 7 1 



to let himself down the rock, and plunged knee 

 deep into the rapids. Closely followed by Sandy, 

 he made his way towards the deep water, keeping- 

 close beneath the high bank, where he knew that, 

 at about the depth of his waist, a small ledge ran 

 along the rock which would afford him a footing. 

 Quietly and carefully he arrived at the spot where 

 the bubbles had been seen to rise ; and telling 

 Sandy to hold him round the waist, as he stood 

 beside him on their precarious footing, he took off 

 his cap, and holding it over the water so as to 

 throw a shade in which the smallest objects at the 

 bottom of the stream were visible to his practised 

 eye, he bent down, and began a long and wary 

 search. One unaccustomed to the work might have 

 looked till nightfall without seeing more than the 

 changing lights and shadows playing over the deep- 

 sunk stones ; but Alick's experience soon showed 

 him a long black object, like a shade, lying close by 

 the rock, and in about nine feet of water. Having 

 satisfied himself as to the exact position of his 

 treasure-trove, he shouted a warning to the group 

 above, and told Sandy to take a look. 



" Ah, the big blackguard ! " whispered the gillie, 

 as he lifted his dripping face after his subaqueous 

 search. " Have a care, Mister Alick, and give him 

 the point well over the shouther." 



