258 TROUT FISHING 



aloft in the air, and my heart stopped, 

 Ronald was in similar extremity. The 

 salmon seemed to be aimless in his move- 

 ments. At any rate, his leap was some- 

 times on one side of our creaking craft, 

 sometimes on the other ; now off the 

 stern, anon off the bow. Thus, Ronald 

 was in perplexity. Sometimes he had to 

 pull away from the fish ; sometimes to 

 push towards him. All through this 

 trying time the general drift of things 

 was determined by the wind, which we 

 believed to be still from the west. 



" This canna' go on much longer, am 

 thinkin'," said Ronald. "I daurna' pu' 

 either to the north shore or to the sooth, 

 for then we'd be broadside-on and be 

 blawn ower. Forbye, the boat has been 

 lyin' up a' winter, and is brittle. If ane 

 o' they big waves catches her on the side 

 when we're turned to follow the fish, 

 she'll be staved in. I doobt we're by 

 wi't, sir." 



Although he had to shout in order 

 to be heard, Ronald delivered this grave 



