r, held
back by the droppers, which were caught in the grass ever so lightly.
The top of something darted from under the bank and seized the fly. Miss
Asquith thought it was a muskrat, it was so big. Down went the line
deeper and deeper. She instinctively turned her hand and wrist in order
to free the hooks from the grass, and thus set the fly good and deep
into whatever was cavorting around, making her reel sing as she never
had heard it before.

"Oh, Cal, quick! quick! come and get me," she called, little thinking
what she was saying, at the same time pressing her knee against the side
of the pony, who recognized the signal and turned toward the shore. Miss
Asquith allowed her rod to hold steady until she could dismount. By that
time Cal was at her side.

"You've got a beauty, sure as gun's made of iron," said he.

As she reeled in a little of the line the tension ceased and an immense
trout broke from the water. "Oh! Oh! what shall I do?"

Cal spoke sternly, "Watch your line and don't be foolish."

With that she settled down to her work and in a few moments had the
pleasure of floating the fish into the landing net, Cal wading out to
intercept it. As it went into the net she stood on the bank just above
him, a little beach giving him opportunity to make the capture. As he
stood there holding on to the staff of his landing net with one hand and
the line with the other, he said, "This trout is yours on one
condition--the fish, the horse and the man all go together. Say yes, and
the fish comes ashore, say no, and I turn him loose."

"Yes, yes, y-e-s. Hurry up with the fish," she exclaimed, adding
excitedly, as Cal came to the bank, "I'll just kiss you right here for
the sake of the fish," and, suiting the action to the word, she planted
a good smack on his upturned mouth.

"Now we will see what he weighs. But first here is your reward,"
slipping a big solitaire off his finger and holding up his hand, "tie it
on if necessary."

"Why, what is that for?" stammered she.

"Didn't you say 'yes, yes, yes?'"

"Yes."

"Well, that meant fish, horse and man, and I'm the man."

"Mr. Wagner--Cal--let me go. My! the people are all watching us."

"Never mind, show them your hand. Just two pounds and a quarter," said
Cal, as he adjusted the scales, "the biggest one this season so far."

"Yes, a fish, a horse and a man--quite a catch for one day," laughingly
said Miss Asquith.

"The details of that catch are duly reco