"Is there any fishing?" asked Jesse. But an instant later he answered himself. "Great Scott!" said he. "Look at that trout jump. He's big as a whale. Look it--look it, fellows!" They turned as he pointed down the hill to the wide, clear water of the spring creek. A dozen splashes and rings showed feeding fish, and large ones. "Oh, yes," said their hostess, indifferently. "There's a good many of them in there. They seem to run around more along toward evening." The young sportsmen could not wait for supper. Hurriedly getting together their rods and reels, they soon had leaders and flies ready and were running down the slope after what bid fair to be rare sport with the great fish which they saw leaping. CHAPTER XXVIII SPORT WITH ROD AND REEL The three young Alaskans were all very fair masters of the art of fishing with the fly, and now surely had excellent opportunity to practice it. The trout and grayling were rising in scores, and for half a mile the surface of the bright water was broken into countless rings and ripples. Now and then some fish sprang entirely above the water. John and Jesse took the nearer shore, while Rob hurried around over the pole bridge at the head of the stream, just below the head spring. "What have you got on, John?" asked Jesse. "Jock Scott, No. 4," replied John. "Try a good big Silver Doctor; these big fellows ought to take it." They began to cast, trying to reach the mid-channel, where, over the white sand of the channel, the fish were rising most vigorously. All at once Jesse gave an exclamation. "Wow! Look at that, hey?" His fly had been taken by a great fish which had made for it a dozen feet away. The rod went up into an arch. Again and again the fish sprang high above the water, four, five, six times, one leap after another; and then came a long, steady savage run which carried Jesse down along the bank, following the fish. He had all he could do to master the powerful fish, but, keeping on a steady pressure, he at last got him close inshore, where John netted him. "That's a steelhead--that's why he's such a jumper!" exclaimed John. "Well done, Jess!" exclaimed John, holding up the splendid fish to view. "Six pounds, if he's an ounce!" A sudden shout from Rob, across the water, called their attention. He also was playing a heavy fish, which broke water again and again. "What you got, Rob?" called John. "Rainbow!" answered Rob, across the stream. "He's a buster, too!" And truly it was a fine one, for that night it weighed five and three-quarter pounds. "Hurry, John--your turn now!" shouted Jess. "They're the fightingest fish you ever saw." John began casting, while Jesse watched, working his fly to where he saw a heavy fish moving. An instant and he struck, the reel screeching as the fish made its run. This time the fish did not jump, but played deep, boring and surging, but at last John conquered it and Jesse slipped the net under it.