"Certainly," replied Hardy, and he shortened the line to allow her to do so.
Her first attempt was to hook Hardy's cap; her next was to hook Nils Nilsen by the ear.
"It seems so easy to do," said Helga, as she handed Hardy the rod, who showed her how to cast the line as well as he was able.
"You will fish better from the bank, where it is not necessary to cast such a long line," said Hardy. "We will try a little lower down."
Helga followed his instructions, and at length hooked a trout, which Hardy picked out with the landing-net.
"I do so like this sort of fishing," said Helga; "it is the way a lady should fish, if she fished at all."
"Many English ladies are good fly fishers," said Hardy; "and I have seen them catch salmon in Norway. I will, with pleasure, leave my rods and tackle here, if you would like to fish with Axel; he can show you how to attach the flies to the line, and anything else necessary."
"Thank you so much!" replied Helga; and as she raised her eyes to his, with her handsome face lit up by exercise, Hardy saw how beautiful she was. Her manner towards him had changed. She talked freely to him now, and without reserve.
"We will put a mark on the trout you have caught," said Hardy, "that we may know it again after it has been in the frying-pan. The Herr Pastor does not often eat fish of his daughter's catching. It weighs just half an English pound."
"How can you tell?" asked Helga.