the offending
head-gear with force and directness. Wally caught it deftly and rammed
it over his eyes. He smiled underneath it at the Hermit like a happy
cherub.

"Now we're ready, sir," he said. "Hold your row, Harry, the--this
gentleman's going to spin us a yarn. Keep awake if you can spare the
time!"

"I'll spare the time to kick you!" growled the indignant Harry.

"I don't know that you'll think it's much of a yarn," the Hermit said
hurriedly, entering the breach to endeavour to allay further
discussion--somewhat to Jim's disappointment. "It's only the story of a
pretty narrow escape.

"I had gone out fishing one afternoon about a month ago. It was a grand
day for fishing--dull and cloudy. The sun was about somewhere, but you
couldn't see anything of him, although you could feel his warmth. I'd
been off colour for a few days, and had not been out foraging at all,
and as a result, except for damper, my larder was quite empty.

"I went about a mile upstream. There's a splendid place for fishing
there. The creek widens, and there's a still, deep pool, something like
the pool at the place you call Anglers' Bend, only I think mine is
deeper and stiller, and fishier! At all events, I have never failed to
get fish there.

"I fished from the bank for a while, with not very good luck. At all
events, it occurred to me that I could better it if I went out upon a
big log that lay right across the creek--a tremendous tree it must have
been, judging by the size of the trunk. You could almost ride across it,
it's so wide--if you had a circus pony, that is," added the Hermit with
a twinkle.

"So I gathered up my tackle, hung the fish I'd caught across a bough in
the shade, and went out on the log, and here I had good luck at once.
The fish bit just as soon as I put the bait into the water, and though a
good many of them were small there were some very decent-sized ones
amongst them. I threw the little chaps back, on the principle that--

Baby fish you throw away
Will make good sport another day,

and at last began to think I had caught nearly enough, even though I
intended to salt some. However, just as I thought it was time to strike
for camp, I had a tremendous bite. It nearly jerked the rod out of my
hands!

"'Hallo!' I said to myself, 'here's a whale!' I played him for a bit,
for he was the strongest fish I ever had on a line in this country, and
at last he began to tire, and I reeled the line in. It seemed