big
trout before by the way he got hold of that line and yanked him in, hand
over hand, regardless of the danger to line and leader and to those
delicate little flies, to say nothing of the possibility of losing a
fish so handled. Of course the seconds were flying, and landing a fish
of that size is not an especially quick process. A three-pound trout in
swift water has a way of staying there, even when taken by the main
strength and awkwardness system. When only about a yard of line
remained between Charlie and the fish, the latter set up such a
commotion, and cut up such a series of antics, that it was impossible
for one man to hold him and net him, though the wild effort which our
guide made to do so seemed amusing to those who were looking on. In
fact, if I had not been weak with laughing I might have gone to his
rescue sooner. One may be generous to a defeated opponent, and the time
limit was on its last minute now. As it was, I waded over presently and
took the net. A moment later we had him--the single return in the
allotted time, but by all odds the largest trout thus far of the
expedition. You see, as I have said, fish are uncertain things to gamble
on. Trying for five small ones our fisherman captured one large fish,
which at any other moment of the expedition would have been more
welcome. Yet even he was an uncertain quantity, for big, strong and
active as he was, he suddenly gave a great leap out of the net and was
back in the water again. Still, I let him be counted. That was generous.

You might have supposed after that demonstration, Eddie would have been
somewhat reticent about backing his skill as a fisherman. But he wasn't.
He had just as much faith in his angling, and in his ability to pick
good water as if he hadn't seen his guide go down to ignominy and
defeat. He knew a place just above the dam, he said, where he could make
that bet good. Would I give him the same terms? I would--the offer was
open to all comers. I said it was taking candy from children.

[Illustration: "It was worth the dollar to watch the way he sought to
wheedle and coax and fascinate those trout."]

We went up to Eddie's place and got out the watches. Eddie had learned
something from his guide's exhibition. He had learned not to prance
about over a lot of water, and not to seem to be in a hurry. It was such
things that invited mirth. He took his position carefully between two
great bowlders and during the next fifteen minute