him for you--but you must tell me how--for I
never tried before."

"Oh, it is simple enough," she said. "You've seen old Robert gaff plenty
of fish. Only mind you don't strike across the casting-line. Get behind
the casting-line--about half-way down the fish--get well over him--and
then a sharp, bold stroke will fetch him out."

Accordingly, armed with the gaff, Lionel made his way down to the lowest
ridge of the rock, so that he found himself just over the black-brown
pool. And, indeed, his services were called upon much sooner than he had
expected; for the salmon, grown tired of sulking, now began to swim
slowly round and round, sometimes coming up so that they could just
catch a glimmer of him, and again disappearing. But the fortunate thing
for them was that there were no shallows to frighten the fish; he knew
nothing of his danger as he happened to come sailing round Lionel's way;
and he was gradually coming nearer and nearer to the surface, until they
could watch his every motion as he made his slow rounds. Once or twice
Lionel tried to get the gaff over him, and had to withdraw it; but at
last Miss Honnor called out,

"This next time, Mr. Moore, as he comes round to you, I will lift him a
bit; be ready!"

But what was this amazing thing that happened all in one wild second?
Lionel struck at the fish, pinned him securely, dragged him out of the
water, and then, to his horror, found that the unexpected weight of this
fighting and struggling creature was proving too much for him--he was
overbalanced--he could not recover himself--down they all went
together--himself, the gaff, and the salmon--into the still, deep pool!
As for him, that was nothing; he could swim a little; a few strokes took
him to the other side, where he clambered on to the rocks; he managed to
recover his cap; and then, with the deepest mortification in his soul,
he made his way back to rejoin his companion. What apology could he
offer for his unheard-of bungling and stupidity? Would she not look on
him as an unendurable ass? Why had he chosen so insecure a foothold and
made such a furious plunge at the fish? Over-eagerness, no doubt--

And then the next moment he noticed that her rod was still curved!

"We'll get him yet, Mr. Moore!" she called to him, in the most
good-humored fashion. "Come out on to the rock, and you'll see the
strangest-looking salmon you ever saw in your life."

And, indeed, that was an odd sight--the big fish slowly s