'Seventeen pounds—and a beauty: as pretty a fish as ever I saw come out of the loch.'
'Well, we've managed it, Ronald,' said she, laughing, 'but I don't know how. There he is—sure; but how we got him out of that hurricane I can't tell.'
'There was twice I thought ye had lost him,' said he gravely. 'The line got desperately slack after ye jumped ashore——'
'Jumped ashore?' she said. 'Seems to me I was flung ashore, like a sack of old clothes.'
'But ye were not hurt?' said he, glancing quickly at her.
'No, no; not a bit—nor even wet; and if I had been, that is enough for anything.'
'Johnnie, lad, get some rushes, and put the fish in the box. We'll have a surprise for them when we get back, I'm thinking.'
'And can we get back?' she said.
'We'll try, anyway—oh yes—it's no so bad now.'
But still it was a stiff pull; and they did not think it worth while to put out the line again. Miss Carry devoted her whole attention to sheltering herself from the spray; and was fairly successful. When, at length, they reached the top of the loch and landed, they were treated to a little mild sarcasm from those who had prudently remained on shore; but they said nothing; the time was not yet come.