[Tom moved the net toward the prey.]
“Now!” whispered the professor, intensely.
Up came the landing-net, and with it, floundering mightily and casting the glittering drops into the air, came the captive.
“Well done!” cried the professor, laying aside his rod. Praise from an enemy is the sweetest praise of all, and Tom’s heart gave a bound. The professor seized the trout, took it from the net, and, laying it upon the bank, removed the hook from its gasping mouth. Then, with a finger crooked through its gill, he held it admiringly aloft.
“Isn’t he a beauty?” he asked.
“You bet!” replied Tom, in awestruck tones. “The biggest I ever saw in this stream. Must be two pounds and a half, sir?”
“Well, two pounds easily,” answered “Old Crusty,” shutting one eye and hefting his troutship knowingly.
“What will you do with him?” asked Tom.
The other smiled. For answer he knelt again on the rock, and, removing his hold, allowed the fish to slide from his open palms back into the pool. Tom’s eyes grew round with surprise. The trout, after one brief moment of amazement quite as vast as the boy’s, scuttled from sight. Tom turned questioning eyes upon the professor. The latter shrugged his shoulders and smiled.