248 TROUT FISHING 



sympathy from myself, I should have 

 bestowed it upon Ronald. Although the 

 sun was now sinking behind the western 

 peaks and the evening chill had come, 

 Ronald was sweating, and, not having 

 foreseen the possibility of this how-d'ye- 

 do, we had set out unprovided with the 

 means of refreshment. 



The tension changed. Instead of keep- 

 ing on the forward path, the whustler 

 seemed to go straight down. Down, 

 down, down he bored, getting leave of 

 the line only because the boat, although 

 Ronald was stopping her, was still going 

 towards the place from which the dive had 

 begun. Down, down, down : when we 

 were practically straight over him he was 

 still diving, taking the line from the reel. 

 Here was a new peril. About this place 

 Loch Voil is at its deepest. If I re- 

 membered the chart rightly, the depth 

 was very great indeed. Would the line 

 of the little trout-rod suffice? If not, 

 should I supplement it by dipping down 

 rod and arm on the desperate chance that 



