“Here goes!” said Joe, jerking the rod up violently with both hands. No sooner did the fish feel the piercing hook in his mouth than he rose to the surface, and splashing the water several feet round in every direction, darted quickly downwards, in spite of the strenuous efforts of Joe to the contrary. Nevertheless, Joe entertained no fears about the result; and the fish, as if apprized of the impossibility of capturing the rod, ran along parallel with the shore, gradually approaching the brink of the water, and seemingly with the intention to surrender himself at the feet of the piscator. But this was not his purpose. When Joe made another strong pull, in the endeavour to strand him in the shallow water, the fish again threw up the spray (some of which reached his adversary’s face,) and, turning his head outwards, ran directly away from the shore. “Pull him back, Joe!” said Glenn. “I am trying with all my might,” replied Joe, “but he’s so plaguy strong he won’t come, hang him!” “He’ll get away if you don’t mind!” continued Glenn, evincing much animation in his tones and gestures. “I’ll be drenched if he does!” said Joe, with his arm, to which the rod was lashed, stretched out, while he endeavoured to plant his feet firmly in the sand. “He’ll have you in the water—cut the rod loose from your wrist!” cried Glenn, as Joe’s foothold gave way and he was truly drawn into the water. “Oh, good gracious! I’ve got no knife! Give me your hand!” cried Joe, vainly striving to untie the cord. “Help me! Oh, St. Peter!” he continued, imploringly, as the fish drew him on in the water, in quick but reluctant strides. “Oh! I’m gone!” he cried, when the water was midway to his chin, and the fish pulling him along with increasing rapidity. “You are a good swimmer, Joe—be not alarmed, and you will not be hurt,” said Glenn, half inclined to laugh at his man’s indescribable contortions and grimaces, and apprehending no serious result. “Ugh!” cried Joe, the water now up to his chin, and the next moment, when in the act of making a hasty and piteous entreaty, his head quickly dipped under the turbid surface and disappeared entirely. Glenn now became alarmed; but, when in the act of divesting himself of his clothing for the purpose of plunging in to his rescue, Joe rose again some forty paces out in the current, and by the exertion of the arm that was free he was enabled to keep his head above the water. The current was very strong, and the fish, in endeavouring; to run up the stream with his prize in tow, made but little headway, and a very few minutes sufficed to prove that it was altogether unequal to the attempt. After having progressed about six rods, Joe’s head became quite stationary like a buoy, or a cork at anchor, and then, by degrees, was carried downward by the strong flow as the fish at length became quite exhausted. “Now for it, Joe—swim towards the shore with him!” cried Glenn.