s deep black hole. I hesitated, but the salmon did
not. Still down he went.

"Now, then," thought I, "hole or rapid?"

The question was settled for me, for before I could decide, I was hauled
into the rapid. No doubt I was a more than half-willing captive.
Anyhow, willing or not willing, down I went. Ah! what a moment of ease
and relief from exertion was that when I went a little deeper than the
waist, and found myself borne pleasantly along on tip-toe, as light as
one of those beautiful balls with which juveniles--in these highly
favoured days--are wont to sport in the fields!

And oh--ho-o! how my spirit seemed to gush out through my mouth and
nose, or out at the top of my head, when the cold water encircled my
neck as I lost my footing altogether, and struck out with my right hand,
endeavouring the while to support my rod in the left!

I heard Anders gasp at this point; but I saw him not. In another second
my knees came into violent contact with a rock, (alas! every motion of
my body, as I now write, reminds me painfully of that crash!)
Immediately after this I was sprawling up the bank, having handed the
rod to Anders to hold, while I tossed my legs again in the air, to get
rid of the water which weighed me down like lead. How earnestly I
wished that I could tear these boots off and fling them away! But there
was no time for that. On regaining my legs I seized the rod, and found
that the salmon had brought up in an eddy created by the tail of a
gravel-bank in the centre of the river between two rapids.

"Good," I gasped, blandly.

Anders smiled.

Presently I found that it was the reverse of good, for, when I tried to
wind in the line and move the fish, I perceived that the resistance
offered was not like that of a salmon, but a stump!

"I do believe he's gone!" I exclaimed.

Anders became grave.

"No fish there," said I, gloomily.

Anders' face elongated.

"He has wound the line round a stump, and broken off," said I, in
despair.

Woe, of the deepest profundity, was depicted on Anders' visage!

For full five minutes I tried every imaginable device, short of breaking
the rod, to clear the line--in vain. Then I gave the rod to Anders to
hold, and, taking the gaff with me, I went sulkily up the river, and
again taking to the water, made my way to the head of the gravel-bank,
over which I walked slowly, oppressed in spirit, and weighed down by
those abominable boots which had once more filled