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BIFFKINS7 V 01DERFUL FISH An English Talc of Adventure of a Fisherman of Prowess ProwessThe The ISrioriiunis Power 01 II is Hook Here is a good and unusual fishing tale told by a correspondent of the English Fishing Gazette GazetteRiffklus Riffklus had come down for the weekend for a little early fishing I had not seen him since a recent ridiculous adventme with the coaih whip and the salmon and I understood lit had now become an ardent fisherman fishermanIn In fact I may say that I know him to be so soHe He was up soon after daylight and wandered about the house hoping I would be ready soon and that it would be fine It was ami I had taken lunch down to the hut and my wife had provided us with a tea which had induced even him to forsake the water for at least half an hour We had been at it all day and it was now ipiite dark I was tired out and determined to start off homi whether Riffkins came with me or not I had not the least idea where he was ul as the growth of trees and brushwood along the river bank was dense there was little chance of seeing him even before it was dark darkThe The river is over a mile from my house so I could not in decency go home without finding him himI I therefore walked carefully and slowly up ¬ stream whistling every now and then so as to be heard over the noise of the water At last I was rewarded Hullo I heard Is that youV I assured him it was and asked him politely what the devil he was doing with a flyrod at that hour Come here he said I say I cannot make out what has happened I have hooked something enor ¬ mous I have been here half an hour with it all my line about thirty yards is out and the thing keeps sailing round and round this damned pool as if it was a circus I am all of a sweat I assure you I thought you said salmon never came up until the autumn and if it isnt a salmon it must be 1 porpoise It isnt a salmon I said it is ut ¬ terly impossible As for a porii ise how in the name of goodness could a porpoise come up a trout stream fifteen miles frum the sea and over a salmon lad ¬ der V VI I dont know how it got hero Whoa whoa he said All I know is it is here and I have got him well hooked hookedTHE THE MONSTER ON BIFFKINS HOOK HOOKIt It was an amazing situation He could not have hooked a log or rock because logs and rocks do not absorb thirty yards of line Does it show fightV I asked him Fight he said what do jou call fight V I cannot think how the rod has held him but he doesnt leap and splash about like that old salmon did lie has been quieter the last ten min ultes and I would give worlds to know what lit is doing doingAt At that moment I heard the wooden gate at the corner of the field slam to Mr Williams is that you sir I recognized the voice It was the old farmer Dewbank Yes Im here Dewbank and weve got something really big this time Have you sir Well I came to ask your help I lost Inn of my old sows this oveiriiig and about ten minutes ago I found her in the water on tin other side of this p pwd wd I tried to pull her out but every time I got Her head to bank something seemid to pull it round to stream again aiul Im dangvd it I can make it out outWhat What he thought 1 dont know but 1 ruurcd with laughter Riffkins si iply swore roundly for some minutes without ceasi ig igThen Then I told Dcwhai what had happened They are slow to mirth in he west and it did not seem to strike him so huun roiisly as it did me in fact they were both of the n pretty sick men menWell Well of course there was only one Ihing to l o done I crossed over with Dewbank and cut tin lii leaving Iiffkins to reel it up al his leisure TI u we looked tin old sow mt and wished cadi otl T a formal goodnight Then 1 rejoined Ilff ki s and in due coursi we trudged off home These fn ik fishermen are tiresome people to have as gtt sts
