“Steady, Miss Jelliffe,” I said.  “Don’t get nervous.  If he rises don’t try to strike.  They will hook themselves as often as not.  Begin by casting away from that place until you get out enough line, then get your fly a little beyond that spot and draw in gently.”

“I’ve caught plenty of big trout,” she said, excitedly, “but I’ve never landed a salmon.  I am nearly hoping that he won’t take the fly.  I won’t know what to do.”

“There has to be a first time in everything,” I told her.  “Just imagine you’re after a big trout.”

She appeared to become cooler and more confident, letting out a little line, retrieving it nicely, and lengthening her cast straight across the stream.  The rod was going back expertly, just slightly over her right shoulder, and the line whizzed overhead.

“Easy,” I advised her; “it is a longer rod than you are used to.”

She waited properly until the line had straightened out behind her, and cast again.

“That is plenty, now for that rock, Miss Jelliffe,” I said.

There was another cast, with a slight twist of her supple waist.  The fly flew out, falling two or three yards beyond the rock and she pulled back, gently, her lure rippling the dark surface.  Then came a faint splash, a vision of a silvery gleam upon the water, which smoothed down again while the line came back as light as ever.

“Easy, easy, don’t cast again in the same place,” I advised.

She obeyed, but sore disappointment was in her eyes.

“Did I do anything wrong?” she asked, eagerly.

“Not a bit.  He never touched the fly.  But I always like to wait a minute before casting again after a rise, and I think we will put on a smaller Doctor.  His attention has been awakened and he will be more likely to take it.”

I quickly changed the fly and Miss Jelliffe, with grim determination, went to work again.  Soon she brought the lure over the exact spot but met with no response.  Once more without the faintest sign of a rise.  A third time, and suddenly the reel sang out and a gleaming bolt shot out of the water.

“Now steady, Miss Jelliffe!  Easy on his mouth.  Let him run.  If he slackens reel in.  That’s the way!  We’ll have to follow him a little, but try to keep him from going down stream too far.”

Her eyes were eager and her face flushed with the excitement.  The wisps of her glorious hair were floating in the wind as she stepped along the bank, steadily, while I stood at her side without touching her, but with a hand ready in case of a slip or a misstep.  Frenchy followed us, carrying a big landing-net and a gaff.  His face bore a wide grin and he was jumping with excitement.