ear water.
He neither tugged nor bored; that olive-green thing (for so he appeared
in these depths) lay perfectly motionless--no doubt planning further
devilment and only waiting to recover his strength. Meanwhile Lionel had
scrambled a bit higher up the rock, so as to get the rod at a safer
angle.

"He's a lively fellow, that one!" old Robert said, with a grin. "Ay,
sir, and ye hooked him ferry well, too."

"I should say I did!" Lionel exclaimed. "I had no idea there was a fish
there--I never saw him coming--I was drawing the line out of the water,
and all at once thought I had struck on a log. He's well hooked, I
should think; but I didn't hook him--he hooked himself."

"He's not a ferry big one, but he's a salmon whatever," old Robert said;
and then he suddenly called out, "Mind, sir!--let him go!--let him go!"

For away went that little wretch again, tearing over to the other side,
where he lashed and better lashed the surface; and then, getting tired
of that exercise, he somewhat sullenly came sailing into mid-stream,
where there was a smooth, dark current, bounded on the side next the
fisherman by some brown shelves of rock only a few inches under water.
And what must this demon of a fish do but begin boring into the stream,
so that every moment the line was being drawn nearer and nearer to the
knife-like edge.

"Here, Robert, what am I to do now?" Lionel cried, in dismay. "Another
couple of inches, and it's all over! How are we to get him out of that
hole?"

"Mebbe he'll no go mich deeper," Robert observed, calmly, but with his
gray eyes keenly watching.

"If I lose this fish," Lionel said, between his teeth, "I'll throw
myself into the pool after him!"

"You'd better not," said Miss Cunyngham, placidly, "for if Robert has to
gaff you, you'll find it a very painful experience."

But now the line was slackening a little; the fisherman reeled in
quickly; the salmon made his appearance--undoubtedly yielding; and then,
coming over the shallow rocks in obedience to the pressure of the rod,
he once more sailed into the black, clear pool just below them.
Cautiously old Robert crept down. When he was close to the water, he
bared his right arm and grasped the gaff by the handle; then he waited
and watched, for the salmon was still too deep. Lionel, meanwhile, had
got back a bit on the rock, so that any sudden rush might not snap the
top of his rod in two; then he also waited and watched, but somewhat
increasin