116 FISHING GOSSIP. 
Veteran, All right—take your time, that’s all, and 
don’t bring him to the top yet. 
New Chum. Bring him? I can’t keep him down. 
Mercy on us, what a head and shoulders! Steady, 
can’t you? steady! Plague take the ugly brute! 
gone after all! I could have sworn he was fast. 
Veteran. So he was, depend on it—he has bitten 
through the line, Pl be bound. See—the hook is 
gone, and he has cut the line just below the lead. 
It was no fault of yours—he had swallowed the bait 
so far that his teeth met beyond the doubled length 
next the hook. 
New Chum. Doubled length? I doubled nothing, 
it looks so clumsy. I only made your favourite 
hitch, and cut off the loose end close to the hook. 
Veteran. Well—it’s a great pity any way. 
New Chum. Pity! I should think it was. I never 
felt such a fish—he couldn’t be under 25 Ibs. 
Veteran. Five-and-twenty? That's a large order ; 
not but what there are plenty such in the river, but 
I have my doubts as to this particular fish, But 
here goes on my own account—a big hook on strong 
double cord that might defy the biggest cod in the 
rivers, and half a pound of steak. So! I’ve reached 
the very middle of the pool; now for a good finish. 
Hand me your line; Ill bend a fresh hook on; we've 
no time to spare. 
New Chum. Thank you. I’m not very sanguine 
