I go
and help the laddie?"

"No, no, Tav; let him catch it himself. Look how it pulls!"

"But it don't rin. Has she hookit a stane? Na it's a fush, and a gude
fush. Dinna be hasty, laddie. I'll be ready wi' the gaff. Let her
rin, and--Stanes and spates! did ye ever see the like o' that, Maister
Kenneth? She's caught a watter-hen!"

For at that moment, after the rod had bent double nearly, and been
jerked and tugged till Max could hardly keep his footing, the invisible
fish behind the rock suddenly seemed to dart upward, and, as the rod
straightened, the captive to the hook flew right up in the air and fell
with a splash on the side of the stone nearest to where Max stood
staring at Tavish who waded into the water knee-deep, and with a
dexterous jerk of the gaff hook got hold of the captive and dragged it
ashore.

"Sure eneuch, it's a watter-hen," cried Tavish excitedly. "Ye've caught
a watter-hen, maister, and it's no' a fush. D'ye hear, Maister Kenneth,
and did ye ever hear o' such a thing? It's a watter-hen."

"No, Tavvy," cried Kenneth, who had fallen back on the heather, and was
kicking up his heels, as he roared with laughter,--"no, it isn't a
water-hen; it's a cock." The forester took up the bird he had hooked,
and examined its drenched feathers and comb before letting its head
swing to and fro.

"Why, its weam's all loose," he cried, "and it's quite deid! Eh, but
it's ane o' yer cames, Maister Kenneth. Here," he cried, running to the
rock and making a dab with the gaff, which hooked something, "come oot,
Scood! They've peen making came o' ye, maister. I thought there was
something on the way."

"It's too bad," said Max reproachfully, as Scood, hooked by the kilt,
allowed himself to be dragged forward, grinning with all his muscular
force, while Kenneth lay back roaring with laughter, and wiping his
eyes.

"Yes, it was too bad," he said feebly, and in a voice half choked with
mirth. "But never mind; you show him now, Tawy. Make him catch a
salmon."

"No," said Max, stepping back and laying down the rod; "you are only
making fun of me."

"Nay, I'll no' mak' fun o' thee, laddie," said Tavish. "Come wi' me,
and ye shall get a saumon, and a gude ane. Let them laugh, but bide a
wee, and we'll laugh at them."

Max shook his head, but the great forester seemed to be so thoroughly in
earnest, and to look so disappointed, that, after a moment's hesitation,
he stooped and picked up the ro