though Jack skillfully lowered his tip, and avoided that
impending catastrophe. "What a dandy, Jack! Three pounds, and mebbe a
lot more. Look at him fight, will you? He's a regular old bronze-back
warrior, I tell you. I hope you land that beauty. Play him for all
you're worth, Jack; please don't let him get away. And now I hope Steve
will say he's got enough."

"We haven't got him yet by a jugful, remember, Toby," remonstrated Jack.
"They say you mustn't count your chickens till the eggs are hatched; and
I tell you a big bass like that is never caught until he's flopping on
the bank. They're up to all kinds of tricks. Now he's boring down, and
trying to find a rock to get under, so he can grind the line, until it
weakens and gives way."

"Don't let him get to the bottom, Jack!" cried Toby, anxiously. "That
rod of yours will stand the strain all right. Give him the butt, Jack;
keep him on top of the water! Oh! but isn't he a grand fighter, though."

Toby could hardly have shown more interest had he been holding the rod
instead of Jack; for he was not a selfish lad. By slow degrees Jack
began to tire the big bass out. His rushes were losing some of their
fierceness now, and the boy, shortening his line as he found
opportunity, was able to partly drag the fish along to help in
exhausting or "drowning" him, since his mouth was gaping open.

They had no landing-net, so Toby hastily stripped off shoes and socks in
order to wade knee-deep into the stream, and help get the prize safely
ashore. He would have willingly gone in up to his neck if necessary, to
make a sure thing of the landing part.

Jack wisely selected a little strip of shallow beach as the best place
for carrying out the finishing stroke of his conquest. Here Toby was
able to use both of his hands, and actually push the big bass along,
until in the end they had him safe on the shore, flapping still, as
though his defiant spirit had not yet given in to the adversity that had
overtaken him.

Long they gloated over his beauty. Having no scales along they could
only guess at the weight of the prize. Jack said a good three pounds,
but the more enthusiastic Toby went half a pound higher.

"Why, it wouldn't surprise me much if he even tipped the scales at
four," he assured Jack. "See how thick through he is, will you, and a
good twenty-two inches long in the bargain. Oh! how he came down with a
splash whenever he'd jump two feet out of the water, and turn over!