Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-10-15

SuiIclcSS Sull0. we Ill IOOh upOu yOO
quite as brother. you know. Dick"
Captain Croft and Ethel, whom We re-
ceived with dignified stiffness, throw
out strong hints upon the subject of
tea. but we request them not to be
greedy, which is unc.yil, and declare
that the kettle is not boiling. which is
untrue. Possibly we rather astonish
Captain Croft with our rudeness, but
we are sure about Dick. and our enemy
has often enough disavOwed all surprise
at the vagaries of our sex.
While the anger, finding us too diff
cult for conversation. turns over the
leaves of his tly-book meditatively,
Ethel reclines among the sea of brake
fern which envelopes our camp. l OBJ
serve her from behind "a book, and re-
, tlected for the thousandth time that the
multitude of her conquests is not to be
wondered at. Who can Withstand such
blue eyes and soft curly hair and the
dimples which come and 60 as she
speaks? Again, her voice is like the
MARBLE of a nightingale, and-but sister
Ethel is a theme which, from its exceed
ing attractiveness, must label dan
gerous.
AS Dick comes in sight, clambering
over the rocks with his long rod over
his shoulder, fancy detect an added
light in her eyes. but she only remarks
casually: Now you girls have got
your hero bach again, perhaps you will
give us some tea
''Fish?" says Dick; mot a fin. Might
as well throw Il fly on dry ground as
on this gin-clear water"
He sits down, and we recover our
spirits and temper a little. But he is
not himself, for being really anxious
about him and Ethel, / observe him
closely and note the elaboration of eff
fort in mirth.
|. IL wish he was not so humble
minded. Probably he will not even ask
her." so run my thoughts.
After our painstaking preparations
tea is not to be dismissed in moment.
Our contemplative enjoyment OF it,
however, is broken in upon by loud
shout from fourteen-year- old Bella.
Look, the salmon'' and she points to
the curving eddies which mark the spot
where the big fish has risen.
''By gum, says Dick. jumping up in
haste, '.it's regular sockdolager.
Take my rod, Croft, and try for it.
''No, no, it's your turn. had the
last
But good-natured Dick thrusts the
rod into his friends hand and drags off
his own hat to examine the flies in it.
Our loud-tongued entreaties are to
him as the idle wind; but a gentle, low
voiced request from Ethel veers him
round in moment. He takes the rod
and glides cautiously down to the wa
ter's edge, crouched behind rocks, and
with beating hearts we watch every
movement of Dick fingers.
Il shall show him big dark fly
first his words scarcely reach us
through the noise of the fall. should
never land such a 'whopper' on small
hook"
He seems an age affixing that fly and
then wetting it. As he lengthens his
line out yard or more each cast, and
the black wings and silver body float
nearer and nearer to the spot where
the great fish rose, our excitement
reaches almost to bursting point, and
little Bella has to be held down by
! force
There, it must have been right over
his nose that time! almost wonder
that Dick has the courage to 90 on
working his fly at all. But no ripple
breaks the surface. His majesty gazes
unmoved upon the black and silver.
| Two or three more throws and Dick
reels up his line.
Try him with small Jock Scott
now" Captain Croft, caught 10y the pre-
vailing excitement, speaks in Il solemn
whisper.
~''All right. Throw me one over
Again the wetting process has to be
gone through and again seems more
endless than before.
At last the brilliant-hued "Jock
Scott is almost over the big fish Dick
/ balances himself carefully for the next
cast. The rotPcurves back, swings for
ward. and the fly, delivered straight
and freely, drops gently on 10 the wa
ter couple of yards above the salmon.
Hardly has the line sunk an inch be-
! low the surface before there is a heav-
ing boil and swirl of water as the great
fish bounds to the surface. There is
not one of us girls who would not ut
this juncture have thrown the rod down
with a shrek.
In a moment Jack has struck. His
rod is hoop; the line flashes through
the water; the whirling reel makes mu-
sic in our ears.
''Down to the bottom of the pool,
and drive him back if ne makes tor the
rapid" We obey Dick like children.
except Ethel, who stands beside him
and views the struggle. so to say, from
the grand stand.
The first rush is straight toward the
dangerous rapid, but a strenuous
splashing from us drives the fish back
in time.
by Jove! that was near shave
though" and Dick wipes his forehead
hastily.
Both Dick and Captain Croft after
ward declared that they had never seen
fish show such spor, as this one did.
One grand rush after another seems
to leave him as fresh as ever. He is
across the pool, down the pool, under
the white water at the top, and almost
under Dicks fetal in a moment
Again and again he hurls himself into
the air. and his great silvery side al
most daZzleS our eyes with its GLITTER