that it could scarcely move a fin. We had no landing net and he
attempted to lift it out by the line, when snap went the hook and the
fish was free! I made a dash, caught it in my hands and triumphantly
brought it ashore. It proved to be an ouananiche that measured
twenty-seven and one-half inches in length by eleven and one-quarter
inches in girth.

In our excitement we had forgotten all about supper and did not even
know that it was raining; but we now saw Pete on the further shore
gesticulating wildly and pointing at his open mouth, in pantomime
suggestion that the meal was waiting.

"Well, that _is_ fishing!" remarked Richards. "I never landed a fish
as big as that before."

"Yes," I answered; "we're getting near the headwaters of the river
now, where the big fish are always found."

"I never expected any such sport as that. It's worth the hard work
just for this hour's fishing."

"You'll get plenty more of it before we're through the country. There
are some big fellows under that rapid. The Indians told us we should
find salmon in this section too, but we're ahead of the salmon, I
think. They're hardly due for a month yet."

"Let's show the fellows the trout, first. They're big enough to make
'em open their eyes. Then we'll spring the ouananiche on 'cm and
they'll faint. It'll, be enough to make Easton want to come and try a
cast too."